Recently, we’ve forsaken the tranquility of a typically lazy Saturday morning in favor of madly dashing off to the Del Ray Farmer’s Market in time to snag a coveted loaf of Bonaparte Breads’ Pain Normande.

A perfectly rustic bundle of yeast and flour, the Pain Normande is fully loaded with tender pieces of dried apple, black and golden raisins, and walnuts. Sure, plenty of local bakeries purvey a range of fruit-studded handmade loaves, but none are as perfect as the noble Normande. It’s plenty soft and doughy, but still hearty enough to hold the fruity delights within its well-baked crust.

Seriously, we have searched high and low for a bakery native to the D.C. area that might offer something comparable in execution, but all of our local standbys have been easily bested by Bonaparte Breads.

Thankfully, Bonaparte Breads, an authentic French bakery based in Savage, Md. with a Baltimore location in Fells Point, is kind enough to schlep its wares out to the D.C. area all week long at area farmer’s markets.