Boulangerie Blouin - SAINTE-FAMILLE

In the world of industrial baking, where chains like Première moisson, pain doré, and Ace dominate, Boulangerie Blouin stands out for its dedication to quality products. Their bread and pastries evoke a nostalgic feel of the 60s or 70s, when highly processed foods were the norm. Don't be deceived by their artisanal or traditional appearance - the quality is lacking. Sadly, we even discovered fungus on a cake we purchased, raising questions about the ingredients used.

We bought a freshly baked baguette and small walnut caramel pie that were both delicious. Combined with cheese from another stop and wine from a third, it made for a nice picnic lunch while touring Ile d'Orleans

My experience at this bakery was disappointing. I purchased several croissants and loaves of bread, but found the croissants to be of very low quality when I sampled them in the car. The listed ingredients included tropical oils and margarine instead of butter, giving them a displeasing flavor. If I wanted baked goods with a long shelf life and unappetizing taste, I would have gone to Wal-Mart instead. I chose not to ask for a refund when I returned the products, but I believe that as a bakery, they should strive to meet higher standards.

Tried several of their tarts. All were very flavorful, not terribly sweet which we like and is the norm among better bakeries and common in Quebec. Enhancing the flavor was the fact that ingredients were well balanced without having any single ingredient overpower the others. Texture and moisture was also very good.

Nice stop for a pastry...small quaint entry with little parking. Had a pecan tart for dessert...a bit thicker than I prefer but very tasty all the same.