Les Secrets du Pain

La Parisse

In Paris, and all of France really, bread is a religion. From certification to selling, Parisian bread is made and sold with extreme care. The culture of bread extends beyond the boulangeries, however, into the daily lives of the French people. Parisian’s buy bread on a daily basis and care for it with a ritualistic sense of pride. If there is one thing that I have learned in Paris thus far it is how much the bread culture here reflects many other facets of the French way of life.

First, let’s talk about the variety of breads in France. They can vary region to region, but there are always the standards. Baguette, Demi-Baguette, Pain de Tournesol, Pain Complete, Pain Multi-cereales. The list goes on and on and on. My personal favorite is La Parisse, a rustic looking-baguette that is perfectly crusty on the outside and soft and delicate on the inside. For a bakery to be able to make La Parisse, they must be certified by on organization, which monitors its production. This bread is particularly special because it is made with wild levain instead of yeast, giving it a more complex and ultimately satisfying flavor.

The French generally buy their bread at a boulangerie or a boulangerie/patisserie, rather than at the local Monoprix. The quality is better and the price is lower. Plus, freshness is always a consideration in the French food culture and very often you can get a just baked baguette at any point during the day. Bread is a true art here, which you can see through a daily bread like La Parisse and it is respected on a similar level. Bread in Paris is cared for like a loved one. In a boulangerie, the breads are stored out of reach of patrons and are available for sale the moment the come out of the oven. When they are bought, the bread is carefully placed in a sleeve for the walk home. I appreciate this care. It makes me feel good about what I am buying. However, the French cherish their bread in a way I could never understand. Generally, the French buy bread that will be consumed immediately. If it is not, they carefully wrap the bread in a tea towel to preserve flavor and freshness. It is always stored in a dry place of moderate temperature. It never stays in the paper sleeve it came in, nor is it consumed when it is past its peak.

Despite their particular habits of bread consumption it is never wasted. Stale bread is used for soups, stews, breadcrumbs, breading, etc. The entire process of selling, buying, and eating a baguette is distinctively French. The French have little everyday rituals like this one for almost everything: buying cheese, picking vegetables, getting dressed. There’s a formula and they appreciate the consistency. This idea is present in every café where you can always pick from the same menu of steak frites, omelets, or salads. I have not assimilated to the French formule of life completely, but I have fallen in love with les secrets du pain.

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