鈥淏read was always a dream for me,鈥� says Christy Auer, one half of the Christy鈥檚 Good Bread partnership that she shares with husband, Richard. 鈥淭he first time I went to Europe鈥� we travelled all over parts of Austria. When I came home I looked at bread in the store and just thought, this is impossible. I just can鈥檛 eat it! So I started to make bread.鈥�
Christy is now a highly accomplished, self-taught baker with five years of successful farmers鈥� market stands in both Squamish and Whistler. She has a following of devoted customers who will happily join a line-up for her bread.
The popularity is well deserved because a great deal of care, attention and hard work goes into preparing for a market. On bread-baking day, there are truly never enough hours in the day, she explains, but it鈥檚 worth it. 鈥淚 really love to make the bread and I really enjoy the response I get back from people of their enjoyment of it. It鈥檚 helping keep them healthy. It鈥檚 kind of a nice feeling.鈥�
What also matters, Christy explains, is flavour, nutrition and a good-looking loaf.
鈥淔lavour is very, very important to me,鈥� she says, noting she includes freshly picked herbs from her garden in her loaves.
鈥淚 always want to try and have two or three $5 loaves that are some of my most nutritious. I use the best ingredients I can and a lot of good grains. For many people, particularly in Squamish, $5 is still an expensive loaf, so I want to be able to provide that good home-baked bread for them, at that price, because I know they could just as well go to Extra Foods and buy two for $3.鈥�
While her husband Richard bakes all day Saturday to be ready for the Whistler market, Christy rises early to set up and manage their stand in Squamish.
鈥淚 have huge enjoyment setting up鈥� and I love it when I hear people talk. Someone said to me in Whistler, 鈥業 feel like I鈥檓 a bread voyeur.鈥� Mission accomplished, right? If you think you鈥檙e at a peep show on bread, that鈥檚 great.鈥�
Among Christy鈥檚 enticing bread display are seasonal focaccias, challah with golden raisins, apricots and saffron (a loaf she perfected last year), potato bread and her ever-popular bagels.
This winter she鈥檒l also be baking warm cinnamon buns, exploring ancient grains and practising her shaping with some fruity Christmas challahs. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e just very pretty and attractive. They鈥檙e the kind of things you can freeze and put away and have at Christmas.鈥�
Life for Christy and Richard has always been based around food. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the cook, and I鈥檓 the waitress. That鈥檚 how it started out,鈥� she says, although Christy is every bit as involved in the kitchen these days making the doughs while Richard is baking.
鈥淲hen everything鈥檚 going really well and the products are turning out well鈥� it can be very satisfying. But it鈥檚 a lot of work.鈥� Despite the long hours, her husband always has time to deliver a fresh loaf of bread to an elderly friend.
Christy鈥檚 Good Bread will be at the Winter Farmers鈥� Market throughout the season, on alternate Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Squamish Elementary School.
