Savory and sweet

The croissants, scones, and cookies all looked inviting at the PETIT CHAT VILLAGE BAKERY in the Whitworth area, but I came for the bread. The problem was making a decision. My mouth began to water as owner Brenda Gerhart described each loaf, noting her favorite way to enjoy each one. “The rosemary-cranberry bread makes good turkey sandwiches,” she says. I’m sure she’s right, but I’ll probably never know since we finished most of the loaf before we left the store.

When Brenda and her husband Kevin bought the bakery nine months ago, it had no retail outlet of its own. “We knew we wanted to go retail,” Brenda says, explaining that they remodeled the adjacent space and opened the retail shop several months later. Bakers’ racks filled with just-out-of-the-oven bread divide the retail space from the production area, allowing a peek at bakers crafting their artisan loaves and sweet pastries.

The bread costs a reasonable $5 a loaf, so I also tried the Nutty/Seedy Breakfast Bread, a slightly sweet whole-wheat loaf filled with dates, raisins, walnuts and a variety of seeds including fennel. I’m dreaming about a slice with my morning coffee, along with the remains of the enormous cinnamon roll with a hint of orange that I managed to confiscate from my kids.

Petit Chat has staples such as Tuscan and whole-wheat loaves, and a rotating selection of savory and sweet loaves each day, like the pumpkin-pecan loaf and hard-to-find brioche. The breads are made with Shepherd’s Grain flour, so you can feel good about supporting local farmers. Petit Chat also sells bread at Huckleberry’s on Monroe and supplies several local restaurants.

Whether you just make a quick stop to pick up a few loaves (they freeze well) or sink into a leather chair with a cup of coffee and a chocolate-dipped almond horn, you don’t want to miss Petit Chat. I’ll happily make the drive for high-quality, hand-crafted breads and European style pastries at this north Spokane gem. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Petit Chat Village Bakery, 9910 N. Waikiki Rd., is open Mon-Fri 7 am-6 pm and Sat 7 am-4 pm. Call 468-2720.