Breadsmith: one of the best bakeries in the U.S.

Whitefish Bay / WI. (bs) Imagine being in a small town in France – walking around the cobblestone streets… peeking into the shop windows. The aroma wafting from a storefront stops you in your tracks. You follow your nose into the door and you see rows of golden baguettes, delicate sweets and crusty loaves. It is the ambiance of every boulangerie in France and it is what At Breadsmith Franchising Inc. has endeavored to capture and bring to its customers.

Breadsmith´s recipes and baking practices are the same as those of French bakers, which date back centuries, the company explains on its web site: «At Breadsmith we give you more than just great bread, we give you an experience. All of our breads are made in the time honored tradition of master bakers». Each loaf of bread is hand made from scratch everyday. The mixer comes in at 02:30 a.m. to begin the process of making the award winning breads and sweets. The production crew joins in around 04:00 a.m. to begin shaping each loaf by hand. At 05:00 a.m. the baker arrives to load the loaves in the six-ton, stone hearth oven imported from Europe. Its even, radiant heat creates a soft, chewy crust for American style breads. And by adding a quick steam injection, Breadsmith creates hearty, crisp crusts for its European style breads.

In 1993 Dan Sterling, opened his first Breadsmith store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Customers´ reactions have been «dramatic», as have the critics. His breads have won national acclaim by Bon Appetit, who ranked the company as one of the best bakeries in the United States. And its French Peasant was awarded a medal by the International Culinary Salon. Breadsmith has also been rated «Best Of» in ten cities. In 1994, the company began expanding via franchising. There are currently over 30 Breadsmith stores across the United States.