Molasses arrived in Newfoundland by the barrel, shipped north from the Caribbean in the same holds that carried salt fish south, and it was cheaper than sugar — which made it the sweetener of choice in every outport kitchen. Bakers stirred it into bread dough, and the result was a dark, fragrant loaf with a sweetness that no white bread could match. Baked on the wood stove’s bottom heat and finished in the oven, a molasses loaf was a weekly fixture in the bread box.
What makes it great is that deep, bittersweet molasses flavour, with its hints of caramel and smoke, in a sturdy loaf that slices thick and toasts beautifully. It’s denser than sandwich bread, with a tender crumb that loves butter and jam, and it keeps for days without going stale. Spread it with butter while it’s still warm, or toast it the next morning — either way, it’s the taste of a Newfoundland kitchen.
