I tried Meghan Markle's favorite bread in Toronto, and the tangy sourdough didn't disappoint

• When Meghan Markle was in Toronto filming "Suits," she reportedly frequented Blackbird Baking Co.
• I visited the shop to try what is said to be her favorite sourdough bread.

Meghan Markle spent years filming USA's "Suits" in Toronto, Canada, and it's also where she and Harry started their relationship.

While she lived there, she often documented her adventures through her now-defunct Instagram account and lifestyle blog, The Tig.

As a Torontonian with a culinary background, I paid a visit to Blackbird Baking Co. in Kensington Market because Markle often shared how much she loved the bakery's sourdough.

I called ahead to make sure that the loaves would be available

Owner Simon Blackwell now has two Blackbird locations in Toronto, but the Kensington spot is arguably the more special one.

It's the first and original location that opened in 2015, and it's the one that Markle reportedly frequented when she lived in the city.

To avoid disappointment prior to my visit, I called ahead to ensure that the loaves I wanted would be available to reserve.

On the phone, the staff advised me that the best time to swing by was on weekday mornings, so I walked over at 10:30 a.m. on a Thursday.

The shop was very cute, and the smells were absolutely intoxicating

The cute little shop was situated on Baldwin Street, directly facing Kensington Avenue.

I was greeted by a black brick-lined facade and awning, which was nicely contrasted by the bold, white "Blackbird Baking Co." sign.

Inside, I was immediately enveloped by the smell of fresh bread.

There was also quite a lot to take in visually.

Both sides of the exposed brick walls were lined with loads of ready-to-go goodies such as branded apparel, locally sourced coffee, preserves, spreads, flours, maple syrup, and house granola.

Although there were no other customers waiting, I felt a little self-conscious about taking too much time perusing the products since the bakery was operating under COVID-19 safety protocols. So I decided to cut my browsing short and head to the counter.

There were so many breads and pastries to choose from, but I was on a mission

I turned to the plexiglass counter and was greeted by a glass case brimming with pastries and a massive bread wall just behind it.

Again, it was a stimulation overload and a lot to take in for my first visit.

I was also slightly annoyed to discover that the pre-reservation order I had made for the loaves was nowhere to be found.

Fortunately, there were plenty of loaves ready to purchase in person.

According to several Markle Toronto foodie guides, the Duchess of Sussex raved about the red-fife sourdough bread.

Some publications cite that she preferred the Kensington sourdough loaf, but other outlets say that her go-to was actually the Baldwin.

Fortunately, both were available that day, so I snagged one of each.

The Kensington loaf was $5.50 (Canadian dollars) and the Baldwin loaf was $6.00 (Canadian dollars), which I thought was a much better value than the pricey pastries.

The staff asked if I wanted it presliced but I opted not to for fear of them drying out.

Outside, I wrapped the loaves in the paper bags as best as I could to shield them from the cold air and ventured home.

Once I was home, I got a better look at my loaves

When I had an opportunity to look at the loaves more closely, I realized that the bread wall was a tease compared to what I could taste, touch, and smell in person.

Both the Baldwin and Kensington sourdoughs (named after the streets the bakery is situated on) were beautiful to behold.

They were golden brown, crusty, and smelled of rich, sweet toasted wheat.

Using a sharp, serrated knife, I cut into the loaves. I could hear the sharp crackle of the crust, which gave way to an airy and fluffy interior.

I smelled each one and could detect just a faint whisper of sour tang — which made me salivate and only heightened my anticipation to taste them.

Each loaf had distinct features

Being a bit of a food nerd, I learned from one of the staff over the phone that the Kensington sourdough was made with a higher ratio of white-bread flour and just a little bit of red fife (an ancient heritage grain grown in Canada).

Because of this, she said that "the 'sour tang' flavor is much more prominent in the Kensington."

She also explained that the Baldwin was a whole-wheat sourdough that uses more red-fife flour.

"So when you taste this bread, the tanginess is slightly masked and, instead, you'll get sweeter notes and a heartier texture," she said.

She added that all of the breads go through a long fermentation process (for enriched flavor and texture development) and are baked fresh daily.

It all starts with Murray, the bakery's famous 9-year-old sourdough yeast starter, which was actually the first Canadian starter to be inducted into Belgium's Sourdough Library.

"He's fed twice a day, 365 days a year," she explained. "We never skip a beat."

The labor of love made me even more appreciative to be enjoying this bread in the comfort of my home.

I judged the taste and texture of each loaf with and without butter

For my taste test, I cut off a slice from each bread. I then cut each slice in half so I'd end up with four small pieces of bread.

I took a piece of both the Kensington and Baldwin, toasted them, and slathered them in quality, creamery butter.

With the remaining two slices of each variety, I left them un-toasted and ate them plain.

The Kensington loaf was everything I want in a sourdough

The plain Kensington slice offered a crunchy crust, a toothsome chew, airy pockets, and a strong sour buzz that echoed and lingered in the back of my throat.

When I tried the Kensington toasted and slathered with butter, I noticed that the sourness was tempered and further mellowed out by the creaminess.

The Baldwin was also delicious, but it had less of a tangy flavor

The plain Baldwin slice provided a pleasant crusty crunch, but the bread's interior offered a bit of a heartier chew.

It was also more naturally sweet and mild in taste due to the addition of extra red-fife flour.

The toasted version of the Baldwin reminded me of whole-grain toast but with a far superior taste and texture and a clean finish.

Additionally, there was little tanginess to be detected with this loaf.

It's hard to choose a winner, but the Kensington is more of a 'true' sourdough

In terms of preference, for me, it really depends on if you like the taste of a "true" sourdough.

The Kensington is sophisticated with a strong personality, and the Baldwin is more user-friendly and appealing to the masses.

My favorite way to eat this was to slather a lightly toasted Kensington sourdough slice with Nutella.

The sour tang contrasted so perfectly with the sweetness of the spread and its toasted-hazelnut flavor.

I can see why Markle is such a fan of Blackbird's loaves

Overall, you cannot go wrong with either of these breads, and I can see why Markle adored this artisan sourdough. You can really taste the bakery's talents and techniques with each bite.

I can also imagine either loaf being great for deli sandwiches, grilled cheeses, and garlic bread or simply enjoyed with a big bowl of pasta, gravy, or soup.

I definitely picture myself visiting this bakery again to try the other breads and maybe even order one of its sweet items.