In the UK we like our bread, but have unfortunately come to be terribly accepting of mediocre and nondescript options. The French have a completely different attitude towards bread, and France is worth visiting for the freshly baked bread experience alone. While the variety of bread on offer here has grown significantly in recent times, it is still a far cry from what you can find even in an average small town in rural France.
Visit a supermarket in the UK and your options often vary wildly between sliced whole wheat bread and sliced white bread. You can find sliced white bread that is crustless and whole wheat bread without crust, then of course there are thick slices, thin slices, and medium slices, not to mention tall loaves and square loaves. But ultimately it all comes down to softness and frankly even ducks are getting tired of it.
So here’s a guide to French bread, not only so you know what to look for and what to keep in mind when buying bread in France, but also to give you an idea of what to look for if you are lucky enough to stumble across a bakery in the United Kingdom.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of French bread? If you are like most people, of course, it is the traditional baguette. The word baguette translated literally means ‘loaf’ and of course, as everyone knows, a baguette is a loaf of bread, usually weighing about half a pound (or 250 grams if you like modern things!) . Baked baguette is one of the most tempting out there, and the sound of the crust crunching when you open it is enough to make anyone feel immediately hungry. But when looking for a baguette, keep in mind that there are four main types.
The first type of baguette is the traditional half pound stick that we are all familiar with, but what you can also find are molded baguettes. These are made in industrial bread ovens and can be easily seen as they tend to have flatter bottoms that bear the imprint of the lattice pattern on the base of the oven. These breadsticks are known locally as ‘molded baguette’, literally ‘molded baguette’.
A third type of baguette that you may find are paler in color than normal ones, since they are coated with a fine flour before baking. These are known as ‘floured baguette’ or ‘floured baguette’. The last type of baguette you will find is the really huge ‘flutes’, which are twice the length of a regular baguette. You will find that all the baguettes are very filling, although the molded ones generally have a slightly thinner crust.
But in addition to baguettes, there is a wide range of other types of bread, and some are worth trying as the variety is quite different from the average UK supermarket. For example, you may come across a ficelle, which is a long, very thin loaf. Don’t wait too long to eat them though, as the thin crust means the inside of the bread may tend to dry out more quickly than other breads. It is better to buy it and eat it almost immediately.
For bread that is likely to last a little longer, look for “country bread.” No, this does not contain champagne or alcohol of any kind! It is country bread, and it generally incorporates French ingredients like wheat flour or rye flour, which tends to keep the bread fresh longer. A batard is a normal half-length loaf, which is useful if you don’t need as much bread.
Just a warning though, if you buy bread in France, remember that many of the bakeries (bakeries) will be closed for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. If you haven’t bought bread for your lunch around 12.30, you will probably have to wait.
No Comment