If France had to be known for just one thing, it would be their culinary talent. Everything food and drinks-related is of great importance and quality in the country of wine, cheese and what more. Their products are to be found all around the globe, from the smallest local épiceries to the most renowned restaurants visited by celebs on a daily basis. And whoever’s a little acquainted with what the French have to offer will know that it’s all about the basics. Don’t even bother with the fancy, complicated stuff before you’ve got your essentials down to a T.
And as every single meal comes with a little basket of bread, it’s no wonder that the French take their bread-making very seriously. Of course, their bread isn’t the loaf most of us are used to. In France, all attention goes to the baguette, that long stalk of heavenly crunchy bread with a very confused origin story.
They’re so serious about it that each year, le Grand prix de la meilleure baguette de Paris is organised. In other words: the Grand prix of the best baguette in Paris. Whichever bakery wins the prize goes home with much more than just the honours. Not only does the winner see its turnover rise by 30% on average, the producer of the best baguette also gets the honor of making the baguettes for the Élysée (the official residence of the President of the French Republic) during one year.
Best baguette
This year, it’s baker Damien Dedun from bakery Frédéric Comyn who goes home with the first prize. Dedun sees this as “a great honor”, as he told Konbini Food. If you yourself would be interested in the competition, you should know there are a lot of regulations to keep in mind while making the perfect baguette. The most important being the length (between 50 and 55 centimetres long) and the weight (between 250 and 270 grams). And don’t forget the taste, bien sûr!
Best croissant
Yet, there’s more to the French baking scene than just baguettes, of course. If you’re more of a sweet-tooth, then you should know about the competition for the best croissant in Paris. After long deliberation, the Syndicat des Boulangers du Grand Paris decided that this year, the best croissant au beurre, or butter croissant, is to be found in the tenth arrondissement of Paris. So if you’re in the neighbourhood, don’t forget to stop by Boulangerie Carton – you won’t regret it!
