Where else in the world could you go to learn all about baguettes, or more specifically, baguette-tiquette?
Forget the euro – butter is the national currency of France. So is flour and yeast. Paris was where I made my riches in yeasty goodness and cholesterol levels, specifically at Eric Kayser’s bakery on Paris’s left bank
Like any good stock exchange, it had the national rates posted in clear view…
Prix du pain en 2010 (Bread prices in 2010, France)
The bluechip stock ? The baguette of course, or rather, the Baguette de tradition. The baguette de tradition, or the BDT represents a national and cultural standard of baguettes, an initiative spearheaded by the ‘Kayser’ himself. As opposed to a baguette ordinaire, a baguette de tradition has three rules of play:
- It has to be baked onsite
- It has to be made by hand
- It must be made with natural yeast
A baguette, from the time it is baked, typically has only 4 hours to live, and this particular bakery on the Left Bank bakes baguettes 3 times a day solely for the purpose of supplying its French customers with fresh baguettes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
While it is not compulsory for bakeries to make and sell baguettes de tradition, many bakeries sell both baguettes de tradition and baguettes ordinaire, with the baguette de tradition typically retailing at 10 cents more than the baguette ordinaire.
Remember your Baguette-tiquette
Within a baguette, it should be a little holey with a crunchy crust and beautiful springy, substantial interior
Demi Baguette
The crust is the MOST important part of a baguette: our EPI baguette was formed with dinner table squabbles in mind, perfectly formed for the function of sharing around those lusted-after crusty, pointed baguette ends.
NEVER tear a baguette apart with your teeth, but break apart small pieces large enough to fit into a bite. Elegantly chew, not chomp!
According to the French, never place a baguette upside down on the table as this is bad luck
More on baguettes:
Find out who won the Grand Prix de la Baguette 2010 (Best baguette in Paris competition)
Baguettes aren’t just a French obsession…the Vietnamese have their baguette sandwiches known as ‘banh mi’ or, ‘baoguettes’ – a term as a popular New York sandwich chain has coined.
Disclaimer: This blog piece reflects on the author’s personal travel and experience of Parisian bakeries, bread and culture in August 2010
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I went there during my trip home last year, it was really one of the best baguettes I’ve had, and there was a constant line of customers! I like that you can ask for a well-cooked or not-too-cooked baguette, according to the degree of crunchiness you prefer! Never bothered with the etiquette myself, just used to start chomping on the still warm baguette on my way home, eh eh
hehe didn’t realise you could order according to the degree of crunchiness! we also like how their demi-baguettes mean slicing the baguette according to the size you want. I also had the best chocolate croissant-like pastry ever at his bakery, it was called a plie au chocolat, do you know it?
Wow, so much ritual involved with the making and eating of the baguette.
For 10c more, I don’t see why you wouldn’t go the baguettes du tradicion.
No, never heard, but have just googled it, it looks gooood!!!
Simon: 10 cents more is nothing! his baguettes were simply sensational. you must visit if you get to Paris, you would be in food heaven
Sandra: knee-bucklingly good! I kid you not.. Layered with raw sugar on amazing buttery puff pastry, chocolate explosion in your mouth. ngggahhh i need one now…
Aww, now I’m getting depressed, I would love a pain au chocolat or a croissant aux amandes now! I bought one of your olive loaf at Thomas Dux last time, love it. Will test your baguette soon!
Oh, and I totally agree with your choice of Boulangerie
I was living 20m away from Maison Kayser in the 14th “arrondissement” and was going there every other day for my half-BDT and some nice chouquettes.