La Baguette Machines

My niece sent me this photo from a tiny village

near Bar le Duc in the Meuse area of France. 

It feels like a sign of the times. 

I thought maybe it was due to Covid 

but another friend saw my post about it on Instagram

and sent me this NYTimes article .  

Bakeries in France are closing at a sadly rapid rate

particularly in small villages. 

Young people aren't interested in the work's long hours

and many people are no longer eating as much bread. 

And when the boulangerie closes and people have to go elsewhere to shop for their bread, 

often the butcher (boucherie) or caterer (traiteur) next to them must close as well. 

As much as I hate this change, 

If I was in a hurry and had to drive miles to another village to buy bread

and one of these was within walking distance of my house,

guess where I'd sometimes get my bread. 

But also probably try to make sure I made errands in the next village 

and stopped at their bakery as often as possible. 

So many changes these days.

Another version of the Buy Locally idea. 

Have you shopped at your little neighborhood market lately?! 

(Photo credit: Victoria Delon)

 

Les Pains et fleurs~ Missing Paris Day

Like this photo because it combines two things I love in Paris:

The boulangeries and the florist shops. 

Now if I could just be walking down  Boulevard de Grenelle 

eating the end off one of these long, honey-colored baguettes

with blossoming flowers for my table. 

(Photo copyright: Kirsten Steen)

Baguette less popular

Popularity of the traditional baguette seems to be on the wane. 

According to The Telegraph, the French are less inclined to consume these days. 

While I'm a fairly gluten-free eater most of the time,

I do reserve the right to a few delectable hunks of baguette with my cheese when in France. 

And there's nothing like typical baguette street sandwiches made with

 fresh butter, fromage and jambon to be eaten on a park bench. 

I typically buy the Pain Cereale

for its healthier properties. 

But with cheese, it must be baguette. 

The French swear that they never snack between meals

but on every single day of the week, 

one can see them walking down the street, 

baguette under arm, top chunk missing and chewing vigorously.  

 It has just the right outer crunchiness and spongy interior 

to make it perfectly acceptable to be eaten alone. 

And its subtle taste leaves each rather-too-large slice of cheese

to be enjoyed in all its pure flavor

without being overpowered. 

France is beginning a national campaign 

(to help out those 26,000 boulangeries) 

similar to our milk industry's "Got milk?" campaign. 

So, if you suddenly have a strong desire

for some of that spongy goodness, 

someone is behind it. 

Go with it. 

Save the boulangerie! 

(Photo copyright: Kirsten Steen)