After chocolate, Anne and Caroline Debbasch invite 101 celebrities to talk about bread and pastries

These two new books are an ode to our artisan bakers and confectioners. These two fields, so different yet so often intertwined, are both, in turn, highlighted through the eyes of 101 people. One thing's for sure, they're in the same gourmet vein as the first chocolate issue in 2023. To create these two books, the writers, collaborators and above all sisters, called on a very broad spectrum of contributors, not all of whom were at the bakery before dawn.

Contributors from different worlds

Whether it's bread and its many expressions, or pastry and the memories it evokes, you don't need to be a professional to talk about it. This is precisely what makes Anne and Caroline Debbasch's two new books so interesting. The authors explore these subjects through the eyes of "briffauds", an affectionate term they use to designate a variety of personalities: cooks, pastry chefs, doctors, business leaders, clerics, artists, historians, sportsmen and politicians. For example, Alexandre Couillon and his 5 toques can be found alongside former Prime Minister Jean Castex.

In a world where images reign supreme, this book makes the bold choice to dispense with visuals. Only words will guide the discovery of sweet delights, a way for the authors to "make readers' mouths water", they explain. With a touch of humor, they add that gourmands will have "their work cut out for them".

The book "Les 101 mots de la pâtisserie, à l'usage de tous" is prefaced by celebrated pastry chef Pierre Hermé, with an editorial by Guy Krenzer. As for "Les 101 mots du pain, à l'usage de tous", the preface is written by Apollonia Poilâne, a leading figure in the bakery world. Both 144-page books will be available in bookshops from 1ᵉʳ October 2024, priced at 12.90 euros.