Editor's Blog Apr 18th 2012
French Bread
My daughter went to France a few years ago, and on her return when asked what was her favourite thing whilst there, her reply was instant, BREAD.
I was very lucky to have done a whirlwind visit of southern France last weekend and all I had in my mind was to try this bread my daughter spoke of.
The thing is that I am a very big fan of bread.
I have it with everything, and everything with it. Oh, I know its no good for your love handles but what the hell. So when asked what would I like to eat, by my French companion, I said I want to try proper French bread.
My companion, being the rural type, knew exactly where to go. On the drive there, through the vast co-op vineyards, I was thinking to myself, if French bread was called French bread in France or just bread? Like pointing out the obvious to the lady behind the counter would prove to be one of those sketch moments.
“Hello, I would like some French bread please?” “Monsieur all the bread is French, you silly Irishman man.” The bakery was a long counter with all the trappings of hand made bread making. Sitting at the rear of the shop, large ovens, cooling trays, large 25kg bags of flour and two burly Frenchmen mixing the ingredients for the next batch.
The smell of freshly baked bread hangs heavily, my nostrils twitching like a cocaine addicts. Memories of my childhood, my first kiss and my first motorbike flood my mind, the smell is incredible, I look at all the types of bread, I point to the large 2 and a half foot long Batard, “I WANT THAT ONE! Oh and A BAGGUETTE and some bread sticks.”
Snatching the paper wrapped Batard from the lady; I tear off the end and begin to chew. Heavy, crusty and hot it is the most wonderful piece of bread I have ever tasted.
If you think your daily bread is good, think again Mon Ami! The sorry excuse for bread that we have locally, you know the one, the little frozen rolls or baguettes fall way short of the king of bread.
This got me thinking, making bread yourself from scratch cant be that difficult right?
I will let you know how I get along. Until then, Au revoir.
Ed.
