FOOD / January
Je suis baguette
The fresh, crunchy baguette
that the French hurry to grab at the nearest boulangerie is an
essential part of French culture. Last year President Emmanuel
Macron proposed granting it UNESCO status.
Fly to
Paris
€ 39
from
one way
WHERE TO
BUY YOUR
BAGUETTE?
Boulangerie M’Seddi
‘For us, the baguette is a recognisable
symbol of France, just like the Eiffel
Tower,’ says Gontran Cherrier, a famous
French baker and cookbook author who’s
continuing the family tradition started by
his grandfather. Cherrier is now opening
his own boulangeries in France, Asia,
Australia, and America.
‘There are two types of baguettes
you can find in Paris: the Parisian, or
white, baguette and the traditional one,
the baguette de tradition française,
which is more popular,’ he explains. ‘The
traditional baguette is the one with a firm
crust, which forms due to the high baking
temperature. The traditional baguette
contains more water than the Parisian
version, and that’s why it’s baked in a very
hot oven and requires more skill to make.’
There are several requirements for the
bread to be called a traditional baguette.
Shape is one of them. It should be about
65 centimetres long and weigh about
250–300 grams. The recipe is also very
set. The bread must be made from four
ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, and water.
And of course, it should be baked in the
same bakery where it’s sold.
48
/ airBaltic.com
The baguette is a
recognisable symbol
of France
Expect queues at this bakery in the
14 th arrondissement, seeing as it won
the annual Grand Prix de la Baguette
in 2018. Not only do ordinary
Parisians want a piece of the best
baguette in the city, but Emmanuel
Macron as well. In accordance with
tradition, the winning bakery supplies
fresh artisan bread to the Élysée
Palace and the President of France
every morning.
215 Boulevard Raspail
Du Pain et des Idées
Words by Natalia
Maiboroda
Photos by Natalia
Maiboroda and iStock
Entering this bakery is like making a
trip into the past – the huge mirrors
hark back to days gone by, and, if one
is to believe the owner, everything
here is still done the way it was done
a hundred years ago. In addition to
the excellent, crispy baguettes, also
try the trademark Le Pain des Amis
baked in a wood-fired oven and
Rabelais, a brioche with chestnut
honey, spices, and walnuts.
34 Rue Yves Toudic
dupainetdesidees.com
Stohrer
This, the oldest boulangerie in Paris,
was founded in 1730 by Nicolas
Stohrer, the pastry chef of King Louis
XV. It bakes not only baguettes but
also éclairs, baba au rhum, lemon
tarts, and much more.
51 Rue Montorgueil
stohrer.fr