21 Feb The Gold Rush: Or the quest for decent baguettes in San Francisco
Bread.
Laborious to find such a delicacy; for my palate is acclimated to the Parisian kind. The baguette has to be around 65cm long, not too crunchy nor overly soft. Inside is a fluffy cloud; we call it ”mie” [mi].
Thus, I gathered my American companions for my quest to find the perfect baguette in the city. As odd as it may sound, San Francisco has a “best baguette competition” (expat French sure know how to have fun). We stopped by the bakeries of previous years’ winners to have a try. Verdict: all of them were stale or ridiculously crunchy! (I have yet to try them all and will keep you updated). What a strange occurrence for a produce that seems to be considered a luxury in the bay area.
Three to Five dollars; that is how much a baguette costs in San Francisco (It usually does not exceed $1,50 in the French capital). Perhaps we came at the wrong time? After this disappointment, my friends suggested I try better known brands such as Trader Joe’s, Costco, etc. I had low expectations. They were unexceptional and only palatable when toasted.
One might think “What a picky eater!”
On this particular subject I cannot disagree. Bread is a serious matter!
I came to the conclusion that the best baguette is the one you bake yourself. Therefore, on my next blog post, you’ll receive advice from a purebread Parisian on how to make the best baguette possible! Using a few utensils and ingredients which are easy to find in San Francisco.
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The Gold Rush: Or the quest for decent baguettes in San Francisco
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