If you’ve ever visited France, you are undoubtedly aware of how delicious the baguettes, croissants and quiches taste from the local boulangerie. These bakeries are a significant part of French food culture, and they can be found on nearly every street corner. However, they are a rare sight in the United States.
In June 2023, the Colorado Springs community was thrilled to learn about the opening of Provision Bread & Bakery. People lined up to discover what this new establishment had to offer, and they were not disappointed.
The bakery provides everything you would expect from a traditional boulangerie and much more. The majority of the ingredients are sourced from organic, regenerative farms, most of which are local. Additionally, all the products are primarily whole-grain and naturally leavened. Presently, most of the bread flour is milled in Boulder, but co-owners Brandon Delgrosso and Trista Heileman aim to mill their flour, including gluten-free flour, in the Springs.
"We want to be part of the grain train,” Delgrosso says. “There are incredible textures and nuances we know people will love.”
Super Clean + Preservative Free
"We want to serve our community with excellent bread and baked goods that are super-clean and preservative-free," Delgrosso adds. "Provision is deeply rooted in the local food supply chain. Our ingredients are seasonal and nutrient-rich. We believe you should know your farmer and where your food comes from."
For instance, their produce is sourced from various local farms such as New Roots Farm in Canon City, High Altitude Rhubarb in Colorado Springs, Austin Family Farm near Paonia and Mountain Freshies in the North Fork Valley. They also source eggs, beef, lamb and sausage from Back Sheep Pastures, Frost Family Farms, Jones Farm, Nola Naturals and Gosar Ranch & Mountain Mama Milling. Delgrosso says it’s a practice that’s good for the economy and keeps the money in the community.
Perfecting the Recipes
Delgrosso is well-known for his expertise in coffee beans as the founder of Switchback Coffee Roasters. After having a baby two-and-a-half years ago, Heileman retired from her position as Switchback’s head baker. However, Delgrosso convinced her to join him in his new venture as co-owner. To perfect the recipes, Heileman used her home oven, initially. They tested their cookies, hand pies and other pastries at Switchback to determine if they were heading in the right direction.
"Trista is the brains behind the art and the ingredients,” Delgrosso says. “I'm the operations, front-of-the-house person.”
Once they were confident in their concept, they found a building in downtown Colorado Springs that could accommodate the specialized equipment they needed to bring Provision to life. On any given Thursday through Sunday, you will see people sitting outside enjoying their jambon and a group of people lined up inside as they decide whether they’ll be taking home a baguette, focaccia, English muffins, cookies, veggie sandwich or any of the hard-to-resist treats.
Website: https://www.provisionbread.com/
Facebook: @provisionbreadandbakery
Instagram: @provisionbread