This emblematic product of French gastronomy might never have seen the light of day
Often the subject of urban legends, this typically French product is consumed 30 million times a day in France! This success makes it one of the products that symbolizes the country. But it could have been very different..
Although similar products have existed throughout France's long gastronomic history, the baguette as we know it today has its origins in a not-so-distant era: the early 1900s. Gone were the days of Napoleon and other folk legends, and the baguette was actually born... of a law.
The baguette born of a labor law
While the history of the baguette is generally regarded as speculative, it was one event that enabled it to establish itself and become the popular bread we know today.
back then, bakers would prepare their bread for hours on end, using sourdough. To limit the drudgery of their profession, a law introduced in 1919 prohibited bakers from working at night. They could only start work at 4 a.m., forcing them to rethink their production methods.
Two innovations were introduced simultaneously: the use of yeast instead of sourdough, and the shape of the long, thin baguette (no more loaves of bread), which could be baked much faster.
Another factor played a part in the development of the baguette. Little by little, the French moved away from large loaves bought for the week to smaller baguettes, bought more often and eaten fresh.
The baguette today
Like the Eiffel Tower and croissants, baguettes are symbols of France around the world, and "the craft skills and culture of the baguette de pain" were inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list on November 30, 2022.
Today, bakers have strict rules for making them, so that baguettes can be considered "traditional French". The recipe must contain only wheat flour, water, salt and yeast or sourdough. While the baguette is recognizable by its shape, there are now a number of variations, the dominance of which can vary from region to region:
- the ficelle, thinner and weighing 125 g
- the flûte (also known as pain parisien or gros pain), thicker and weighing 400 g
- the demi-baguette or déjeunette, which is simply shorter
Although not the first of its kind, the traditional French baguette has established itself over the years as an essential part of French meals.
