First, the good news.
Real Doukhobor bread, baked in an authentic clay oven and served fresh off the rack, is on the menu at the Doukhobor Dugout House near Blaine Lake.
But if you want some, you’ll have to act fast; because it sells out fast, and it’s only available for one day: Saturday, July 4.
“We will be selling loaves of Doukhobor bread during the afternoon of July 4 at the dugout house south of Blaine Lake off Highway 12,” said Brenda Cheveldayoff in an interview on Wednesday, June 24.
The bread has long been a favourite of visitors to the Doukhobor Dugout House site, but because we haven’t been able to host any tours of the facility this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people have been asking if they can still get the bread.”
She noted that the the Saskatoon Exhibition, the only other location where you can buy Doukhobor bread, is cancelled this year.
The one-day sale is aimed at meeting the demand, and also raising funds to allow the provincially-designated heritage site to make repairs to the roof of the Doukhobor Prayer House.
Cheveldayoff said customers can order their bread online at www.doukhobordugouthouse.com prior to July 4, and then pick up their order in a touchless and safe manner when they arrive at the site.
Cheveldayoff said the pre-orders are necessary to allow the bakers to know the quantity of bread they should prepare.
“The bread is all made according to a traditional recipe,” said Cheveldayoff. “But the key to the taste and texture lies in the fact that it’s baked in a traditional clay oven. If it’s baked in a conventional oven it’s just not the same.”
She said the clay oven has to be heated for 13 hours ahead of time. Once the wood has burned down to hot ash and the heat is sealed in, the bread is then put in the oven to bake.
While there won’t be any guided tours of the Doukhobor Dugout House site, Cheveldayoff said visitors arriving there on July 4 will still have the opportunity to drive around the grounds over looking the scenic North Saskatchewan River valley.
She added they can also make a short trip to the Popoff Tree, located nearby on the same property. The 160-year-old Popoff Tree is the largest tree in Saskatchewan.