ble etcetera is an online bakery formed by three friends who wanted to spread joy during the challenge times of COVID-19. They have a rotating weekly menu on their Instagram but the Hokkaido Milk Bread and Madeleines are stellar products that you must try.

Soft Hokkaido Milk Bread

Their Hokkaido Milk Bread was fluffy, airy and springy. It has an unforgettable milky-sweet flavour that pairs well with any spread. When you pull the bread apart, it has the iconic wisps that demonstrate a beautiful harmony between the gluten and the yeast.

Matcha and Lemon Madeleines

They offer 2 flavours of Madeleines: matcha and original (lemon). Their madeleines all had a luscious, buttery flavour with a crispy exterior.

I preferred the original flavour because the lemon zest really shone through and you can taste it in each bite. The matcha didn’t kick in until the end but its bitter and earthy flavour helps balance out the buttery flavour.

A tip for reheating pastries and breads

If you don’t finish the madeleines in one sitting, I highly recommend you to reheat them in the oven for a softer and more cake-like texture. This works for tarts, asian bakery buns, and other pastries.

1) Preheat your oven to 350F
2) Put the madeleines in the oven
3) Turn off the oven and let it slowly reheat for 5-7 minutes

Overall Thoughts

ble etcetera filled the long overdued void of hokkaido milk bread in the Vancouver bakery scene. I would definitely order it for brunch, breakfast or special occasions. They make sure their baked goods are packaged beautifully and sealed to avoid drying out. You can definitely send these to your friends and family.

Also, I truly applaud them for their branding thought process because their logo, colour choice, typography and packaging material really speaks to the beauty of simplicity and mission of spreading joy.