La Baguette
Originally round and pretty big, the "miche de pain" (bread loaf) was made to nourish and last, a longevity lost by its now emblematic sister, the baguette, only good fora couple of hours. So why did we invent the baguette?
Some believe that Napoléon ordered a smaller version of the bread that will fit in soldiers' pockets. Can you imagine them running around the battlefield with baguettes?
Others think that an Austrian baker introduced it to France. But don't say that to French people, they will loose their beret.
As many stories as bakers! But what we know for sure is that bread ended up being baked faster, crunchier, easier to eat and shaped like swords with a pointed tail called "quignon": the famous baguette. A classic almost impossible not to spot in the streets of France under the arms of the many people. And guess what is the hardest? Not to eat it straight away. A trial that french people hardly pass, eating the quignon to hold on until reaching home.
The stories do not stop here...tales and legends are being baked every day and 320 baguettes eaten every second in France (10 billion per day.)
It's time to get yours!