Route Paris 2024: The baguette
Stokbrood is the Dutch name for the French bread type baguette (literally “little stick”). The stokbrood dates back to the 19th century. The method of preparing this bread originates from Austria. That is why baguette is also called 'Viennese bread' by bakers in France. Since 2022, the stokbrood has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. Thousands of baguettes will be eaten every day during the Games.
History
Does the baguette come from France or from another European country? Some think that the baguette, just like the croissant originates from Vienna in the 19th century. In France, there is also a baguette Viennoise, which is somewhat softer and is made with milk and butter. Others believe that the bread was eaten during the French Revolution. Napoleon is said to have chosen this shape so that soldiers could easily carry the bread with them.
Wand, flute, pistol
A real baguette has a fixed length and weight. It is 55 to 65 centimeters long and weighs 250 to 300 grams. According to the French Bread Law (1993), a baguette may consist of only four ingredients: wheat flour, water, yeast and/or sourdough, and salt. Only three additives are permitted: bean, soy, and wheat malt flour. The bread hardens quickly and is therefore eaten as fresh as possible and baked throughout the day. The French baker also sells a petit pain (a short baguette) and a flûte (a double-width and double-heavy variant). In some regions, the 'flûte' is simply called a 'pain' (bread). A round petit pain is called a pistolet in Belgium and the Netherlands. The long variant is sometimes called a piccolo.
In France, baguette is an indispensable addition to every meal. It is often used to soak up liquid or grease from the plate, or to neutralize the taste before moving on to another dish. Baguette is usually placed on the table before the meal, with or without butter.
Around six billion baguettes are sold in France every year. However, the craft is under pressure because the number of bakeries has been declining for a long time.
Every year, a baguette competition is organized, La Meilleure Baguette de Paris. The best baguette receives a medal, a cash prize, and the honor of being the baguette supplier of the Paris for a year. Elysée Palace to become.
Use in the Netherlands and Belgium
In many Dutch restaurants, baguette is served with herb butter or tapenade as an appetizer. Furthermore, it is an indispensable ingredient for fondue and barbecuing there. Typical Belgian and Dutch filled baguettes are the "broodje gezond" in the Netherlands and the "broodje smos" in Belgium. A baguette is cut lengthwise, after which it is filled. Pre-baked varieties are also available, which only need to be finished in the oven at home for a limited time. This way, one can obtain a fresh baguette without having to eat it immediately after purchase.
Geurzegel The baguette
The baguette has been included as France's intangible cultural heritage since 2022. A total of 594.000 copies have been put into circulation in sheets of 15 stamps. The stamps smell as if you are stepping into a bakery. La Poste had already tried the experiment with scented stamps of coffee, chocolate, lavender, or grass. Collectors can now have breakfast with La Poste. When will the butter and jam arrive? To smell this stamp, simply scratch it gently so that the scent is released. “This releases the fragrant capsules,” reports Damien Lavaud, printer at Philaposte.
For €1,96, about double the price of a real baguette, you can now treat yourself to this baguette. It is less nutritious, but you can still send your mail all over the world with it, which the classic baguette does not. Please note: although this stamp is already selling like hotcakes, it cannot (yet) be found in bakeries, but in tobacco shops or traditional post offices. Just imagine how fun it would be to walk into a post office and say: a baguette, please!
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