Easter at Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company

The Christopsomo bread at Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company is the only bread Tabitha Langel knows that will melt in your mouth – and she knows bread.

Tabitha is one of the founders of the bakery, which opened at The Forks in 2002, 12 years after the original Wolseley location opened and became instantly popular. The bakery functions with a huge emphasis on supporting local, organic, sustainable farming, and the community.

The traditional Greek Orthodox Christopsomo sweet bread, which Tabitha says is made up of butter, sugar, eggs and as little flour to hold it together as possible, is flavoured with anise. She says it will make your whole house smell amazing when you toast it.

But that’s not the only Easter treat the bakers at Tall Grass are prepping for the special holiday on Sunday.

Hot cross buns were coming out of the oven smelling spicy and delicious as I was touring through the bakery, where they mill the grain on the same day they bake with it.

Tabitha says often the spices in hot cross buns are dumbed down, but she’s a big fan of flavour, so her hot cross buns are spicy and full of fruit. They are an ancient British tradition and were later adopted into the Christian faith – hence the cross. The buns, along with prayer, were intended to protect families from fire, rats, accidents and shipwreck – all the more reason to invest in some this Easter.

Louis, one of the head bakers, was egg-washing the beautifully braided Easter saffron bread while I was there. The combination of organic flour, rum-soaked raisins, saffron and a little hint of orange makes this lovely bread taste as good as it looks.

One extra-special addition to your Easter basket could be one of Tall Grass’s butter lambs. Leni, an employee from The Netherlands graciously offered up the use of an artifact that has been in her family for over 100 years – a wooden butter press that makes adorable, lamb-shaped butter sculptures. The lambs are $4.75.

Tabitha believes there is no greater miracle than the Earth, and she is doing her part to preserve it by supporting sustainable farming in Manitoba, and she’s offering another little miracle for Easter for each customer – a little satchel of organic grain to plant in time to have a little sprout on your Easter table on Sunday – this one was just planted yesterday:

The Forks Market is open 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. all weekend, including Good Friday. Place your order for Easter treats at the bakery counter, or by calling 204-957-5097 and be sure to check out the Easter specials at Grass Roots Prairie Kitchen, across the way from Tall Grass, including lamb stew, lamb meatballs and saffron rice pilaf.

By The Forks communications intern, Larissa Peck

Hempyrean : Your Eco-Friendly Clothing Company

It is easy to recognize the value of natural ingredients when it comes to food, health and beauty products. But what about the value of natural clothing? While most people know basic types of fabric, not many concern themselves with the impact that their clothing makes on the environment. Wearing natural clothing is just as important as eating natural food products. Luckily, The Forks’ Hempyrean carries a variety of styles in natural organic fibres to meet your fashion needs while also being environmentally friendly.

At the forefront of the Hempyrean is Mike Carriere. His story began 10 years ago when he decided to open up his shop at The Forks. Before launching Hempyrean, Mike Carriere researched the benefits of hemp. His research revealed that hemp was extremely versatile, which fully convinced him that opening a shop was the right idea.

Next up was to decide what type of product and styles the Hempyrean would carry.

Carriere states “We wanted to use this amazing fabric, but knew that it needed to be moved towards something softer that we could use for our cross-over urban/tribal styles.”

Nomads

The store supplies a variety of designers to keep stock fresh, stylish and accessible. Brands carried include Nomads and Hemp Hoodlamb. Hemp Hoodlamb specializes in jackets for men and woman. With a fashion forward approach, Hemp Hoodlamb provides stylish outerwear products for both casual and formal occasions. The Ladie's Long Coat and the Men's Classic Coat are ideal for day to day wear, providing clean straight lines with a faux fur hood lining for warmth and comfort. If you are looking for a jacket to wear to more formal events, the Men's P Coat is classy and practical.

Hemp Hoodlamb

For a sportier look, Nomads offers a number of sweaters, hoodies and jackets. The menswear Zephyr Jacket is a great layering piece for winter. The Aquarius Hoodie for women features slimming lines and a lined hood to stay toasty. Keeping with their casual and laid back vibe, the Nectar Tunic hugs your curves without being constricting and looks great paired with other comfy-favourites like leggings.





Hemp is only one of the natural fibres that Hempyrean carries. You can also find clothing made from bamboo, soy, organic cotton and tencel. In addition, the store supplies a variety of health and food products such as shampoos, lotions and seed oil.

The Forks was the clear winner when it came to picking a location for his shop. Mike Carriere was attracted to The Forks because of the relaxed yet energized atmosphere and the environmentally aware visitors who shared in his vision for natural products.

Next time you visit the Forks, be sure to stop by Hempyrean on the second floor of the Forks Market and support the vision of sustainable, green fashion.