There has been a lot of talk about bâtards lately: Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, Bash on Reign. For the fictionally dispossessed seeking refuge, Vancouver now has a safe haven.

Bâtard Boulangerie is up and blossoming at Fraser Street near East 23^rd. ‘People say we’re old fashioned. We hope so.’ Attached to it is a Café Moderne where you can eat the Bâtard goodies, goodies that include crispy artisanal breads, house-made jams and a toast bar with toppings like Olive Tapenade, French Cognac Liver Pate and Nut Butter.

Behind this Bâtard are some well-known Vancouver foodies: Chris Brown – whose work you might have eaten at Ecco il Pane, Boleto and Rise Artisan Bakery and Bruno, Sally and Elsie Born from Finest at Sea on Arbutus Street.

With all of the well-crafted goodies on offer, we must give a special nod to the Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies. There has been a lot of sprinkled sea salt on sweets lately, but this Bâtard recipe gets it just right. A thin layer of crunch on the outside gives way to a deep, fudgy goodness on the inside. It’s no wonder they sell so quickly.

Between Bâtard visits you can try this version of the recipe – adapted from Chad Robertson’s Tartine Book No. 3 – at home.

Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies

Written by Elizabeth Newton
www.creatorsvancouver.com