French Baguette Traditional

[ralphindevon]

I was just remembering how quickly the French baguettes, flutes etc went stale which I guess tells you all you need to know about preservatives.

Also why there are so many boulangeries or vans delivering in rural areas because it would be no good buying one with your morning croissant if you intended it to go with dinner that night. Always serve bread with dinner.

The  “Arabs” North Africans who frequent most towns and cities would turn up at my local supermarket later in the day and buy stale baguettes for 10c each, often taking up to a dozen. They would use them for making breadcrumbs and use in tasty African dishes.

The quality of the baguettes even in France would differ greatly and I remember a local telling me the use of frozen dough was a lot more common nowadays and a real decent baguette harder to find. Even the one’s with ‘Artisanal’ written on their shop fronts didn’t mean that much. However, once you knew which boulanger was making the best in town, you didn’t mind taking a detour.

The other thing I miss from this time of year was the galette des rois’ which is a sweet pie made with a kind of creamy almond, frangipane filling eaten at new year but carried on throughout January. Again the supermarket ones and most boulangeries were fine but get a good boulangerie and they were absolutely lush. But you did have to watch out for the small hard charm ‘feve’ inside which if was inside your slice made you the king for the night but would break a tooth if you bit into it too hard. 

[spudski]

2 hours ago, ralphindevon said:

I was just remembering how quickly the French baguettes, flutes etc went stale which I guess tells you all you need to know about preservatives.

Also why there are so many boulangeries or vans delivering in rural areas because it would be no good buying one with your morning croissant if you intended it to go with dinner that night. Always serve bread with dinner.

The  “Arabs” North Africans who frequent most towns and cities would turn up at my local supermarket later in the day and buy stale baguettes for 10c each, often taking up to a dozen. They would use them for making breadcrumbs and use in tasty African dishes.

The quality of the baguettes even in France would differ greatly and I remember a local telling me the use of frozen dough was a lot more common nowadays and a real decent baguette harder to find. Even the one’s with ‘Artisanal’ written on their shop fronts didn’t mean that much. However, once you knew which boulanger was making the best in town, you didn’t mind taking a detour.

The other thing I miss from this time of year was the galette des rois’ which is a sweet pie made with a kind of creamy almond, frangipane filling eaten at new year but carried on throughout January. Again the supermarket ones and most boulangeries were fine but get a good boulangerie and they were absolutely lush. But you did have to watch out for the small hard charm ‘feve’ inside which if was inside your slice made you the king for the night but would break a tooth if you bit into it too hard. 

You may like this... https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/french-baguette-unesco.htm

[ralphindevon]

11 hours ago, spudski said:

You may like this... https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/french-baguette-unesco.htm

Thanks. Yes there’s certainly a difference in overall quality from when I first started visiting France in the early 80s to the latter days of living there a few years ago.

The problem is it takes a huge amount of hours to make, bake and sell bread and with French employment laws making it hard for small businesses to employ people, workers rights mean it’s difficult to get rid of someone, places like boulangeries keep staffing to a minimum and therefore it’s easier just to buy the dough in.

Hopefully this initiative will help resurrect the real artisan baker because there’s nothing like a proper home made and baked one.

Anyone visiting France, it’s worth doing some homework and finding out if there’s a proper artisan boulangerie near where you’re staying. Not just the breads but croissants, pain au chocolate, pain au raisin etc will all be much nicer.

[BigTone]

20 minutes ago, ralphindevon said:

 

Anyone visiting France, it’s worth doing some homework and finding out if there’s a proper artisan boulangerie near where you’re staying. Not just the breads but croissants, pain au chocolate, pain au raisin etc will all be much nicer.

Absolutely 100%

[TonyTonyTony]

Slightly unrelated, but Mokoko Portishead Marina has a bakery. Mostly Sourdoughs which are alright, but they also do baked goodies. Their Cruffins, if you like sweet things, are delicious when fresh

[spudski]

24 minutes ago, ralphindevon said:

Thanks. Yes there’s certainly a difference in overall quality from when I first started visiting France in the early 80s to the latter days of living there a few years ago.

The problem is it takes a huge amount of hours to make, bake and sell bread and with French employment laws making it hard for small businesses to employ people, workers rights mean it’s difficult to get rid of someone, places like boulangeries keep staffing to a minimum and therefore it’s easier just to buy the dough in.

Hopefully this initiative will help resurrect the real artisan baker because there’s nothing like a proper home made and baked one.

Anyone visiting France, it’s worth doing some homework and finding out if there’s a proper artisan boulangerie near where you’re staying. Not just the breads but croissants, pain au chocolate, pain au raisin etc will all be much nicer.

100%

The same could be said in the UK. The bakers I travelled to specifically yesterday, because they advertised as traditional, had one girl working on her own. The queue was ridiculous. Not just serving...but having to make coffee and meals, all on her own. Everyone waiting patiently. I eventually grabbed the Baguettes as they were displayed and priced and left more money than advertised, and put the money on the counter. She was happy for me to do that. 

Sadly...the bread was ok...but I won't be going back again. They said there was no preservatives. Well my body tells me differently today. Swollen aching stiff joints...something that occurs to me after eating certain preservatives put in bread. Total agony today

 

[Welcome To The Jungle]

I adore visiting France. My accommodation must always have a baker and cheesemonger in a 5 minute round trip.

Stunning

[ralphindevon]

58 minutes ago, spudski said:

100%

The same could be said in the UK. The bakers I travelled to specifically yesterday, because they advertised as traditional, had one girl working on her own. The queue was ridiculous. Not just serving...but having to make coffee and meals, all on her own. Everyone waiting patiently. I eventually grabbed the Baguettes as they were displayed and priced and left more money than advertised, and put the money on the counter. She was happy for me to do that. 

Sadly...the bread was ok...but I won't be going back again. They said there was no preservatives. Well my body tells me differently today. Swollen aching stiff joints...something that occurs to me after eating certain preservatives put in bread. Total agony today

 

That sounds grim, I tend to get a sweaty head and burn up for a while as well as stomach getting bloated. Nothing too bad. I wonder if it’s anything to do with the flour used? I know the French have their own T grading system of flour and it’s different over here.

I dunno, I’m no expert but I also usually find pasta much kinder to me in France and Italy.

[spudski]

10 minutes ago, ralphindevon said:

That sounds grim, I tend to get a sweaty head and burn up for a while as well as stomach getting bloated. Nothing too bad. I wonder if it’s anything to do with the flour used? I know the French have their own T grading system of flour and it’s different over here.

I dunno, I’m no expert but I also usually find pasta much kinder to me in France and Italy.

It maybe...as I'm the same. Bread and pasta in France and Italy. No problem. Here it's a lottery. 

[PHILINFRANCE]

On 25/01/2023 at 22:26, ralphindevon said:

I was just remembering how quickly the French baguettes, flutes etc went stale which I guess tells you all you need to know about preservatives.

Also why there are so many boulangeries or vans delivering in rural areas because it would be no good buying one with your morning croissant if you intended it to go with dinner that night. Always serve bread with dinner.

The quality of the baguettes even in France would differ greatly and I remember a local telling me the use of frozen dough was a lot more common nowadays and a real decent baguette harder to find. Even the one’s with ‘Artisanal’ written on their shop fronts didn’t mean that much. However, once you knew which boulanger was making the best in town, you didn’t mind taking a detour.

 

On 26/01/2023 at 13:12, spudski said:

Sadly...the bread was ok...but I won't be going back again. They said there was no preservatives. Well my body tells me differently today. Swollen aching stiff joints...something that occurs to me after eating certain preservatives put in bread. Total agony today  - there is probably a good reason for this. See below .

 

Unfortunately, it has become all too common for boulangeries in supermarkets and commercial centres to use frozen or pre-prepared dough, depite legislation relating both to the ingredients used and place of preparation.

Fortunately, small village boulangeries still tend to prepare everything on site, as is generally witnessed by the queues outside on weekend mornings and lunchtimes/evenings. 

For anyone visiting from the UK, you should make sure you do not ask your baker whether he puts preservatifs in his bread, as you will receive a strange reaction. 

[ralphindevon]

22 minutes ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

 

Unfortunately, it has become all too common for boulangeries in supermarkets and commercial centres to use frozen or pre-prepared dough, depite legislation relating both to the ingredients used and place of preparation.

Fortunately, small village boulangeries still tend to prepare everything on site, as is generally witnessed by the queues outside on weekend mornings and lunchtimes/evenings. 

For anyone visiting from the UK, you should make sure you do not ask your baker whether he puts preservatifs in his bread, as you will receive a strange reaction. 

Yes it is a shame Phil, you can see why they use the frozen dough but it really isn't a patch on the real thing.

And yes, I've been having a chuckle each time that word is mentioned, probably one of the first French words I learnt as a young'un.

[Red7]

17 hours ago, ralphindevon said:

For anyone visiting from the UK, you should make sure you do not ask your baker whether he puts preservatifs in his bread, as you will receive a strange reaction. 

That said, sometimes it's a good idea to ask your master baker about preservatifs...

[Med/MadHatter]

On 24/01/2023 at 03:34, spudski said:

...I'm craving a traditional French Baguette. 

A proper one...made the traditional French Way. With no preservatives. That crunch, smell, soft fluffy inner....that you know will be as hard as a baseball bat by dinner. Has to be eaten fresh and on the day.

I can't find any bakers that do this around Brizzle. 

Does anyone know of a bakers that does?

Well as the name suggests, the tradition must be made using the traditional methods, while a baguette can include extra ingredients.

A tradition must be made using only flour, yeast, salt and water – the recipe specified in the French government's 'bread decree' of 1993.

On a side note...bread baking can be so time consuming. I've stumbled on this recipe that is quick and makes incredible bread. Really tasty. Good rise, good crust, fluffy and light in middle. Can highly recommend. I make one every week and it's so easy.

https://pinchofyum.com/no-knead-bread 

I make my own baguettes every weekend that I'm home, simple recipe 1000g if bread flour, 10g fast rising yeast, 15g salt, 600ml warm water, mix together, knead by hand for 8- 10 minutes, cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours, knock down, shape into baguettes, cover and let rise for further 45 minutes, bake for 30 minutes at 385f, throw some ice cubes in the bottom of the oven when you put the bread in, gives it a good rise and crispy crust