The Beloved Baguette
Patrick Vidal
Think about the way you envision a stereotypical Frenchman: black beret, a striped t-shirt and a baguette under the arm.The beret is from the Basque country. The stripes are common in Brittany. But what about the baguette?
On one hand, this cliche is a reality and bread is a big part of the French diet. On the other hand, it's only a relatively recent stereotype. In French, a bakery is called boulangerie not baguetterie. Traditionally, the common bread was called a boule (or ball-shaped bread) and could last for a few days. A baguette, which really should be purchased daily, only became popular with the development of urban life. Created in the mid 1800s, the baguette became the standard bread only after World War II when the French population moved massively to urban centers.
Bread is practically as old as humanity. Cereals couldn't be consumed in raw form, so they had to be processed. Ground grains (flour) and water were combined to create all types of doughs that could be eaten and kept for several days.
In medieval France, bread ovens were owned by the lords as part of their privileges and taxation system. They could charge their subjects for the use of it. Then little by little, the rights were given to private people to have their own oven. Bakers started to appear in towns, and in the countryside, bread ovens were built in farms, mansions, and private houses. Nowadays, many historic houses still have an original bread oven, and lots of people get to rediscover the pleasure of making their own bread.
In France, bread is like a religion, and French people are very serious about their favorite bakery. They'll drive miles to get to it. In my little town, we have our choice of four bakeries, plus the bread delivered to three supermarkets. When you have a conversation with the locals, they will often debate about the value of each one of those places. And each person will be certain that his or her choice is the correct one.
Miam miam (yum yum)
Image | Rachel Hathaway
So how do you know who is right?
As a proud Frenchman and an expert consumer of baguettes, I offer you a few tips on how to pick the best bakery in a French town:
• If you can, come on a Sunday and look for the longest line. This is certainly the only moment the French don't mind queuing up.
• Arriving in a new place (and not on a Sunday), look at people with a baguette in their hand (there’s always someone), and check where they are coming from. If you’re bold enough to ask where to find the bakery—using your best French and good manners, of course—greet them, excuse yourself, and ask, “Où est la meillure boulangerie, s’il vous plait?” (Ooh ay lah may-yuhr booh-lahn-zhree seel vooh play?).
• And last but not least, if the bread you buy is good, it shouldn't get untouched all the way to the house. If you cannot be lured into snacking on the tip of your baguette, find another bakery!
Bon appétit!
