If Only I knew about French Bread…

Last week I biked through the Burgundy wine region and learned so many things!  I learned Burgundy is Bourgogne in French and is why we eat Beef Bourgogne instead of Beef Burgundy, which is so delicious.

I learned that almost all Burgundy wine is either made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, with minor support from Aligoté and Gamay grapes.  The label Grand Cru and Premier Cru are based on the placement of the vineyard and its prime location, not a rating based on how it tastes.  Please note that while they are also supposed to be tastier, I enjoyed biking through the Grand Cru vineyards the most because they were pretty flat.

And I learned some interesting facts about why French bread is so much better in France – because it is! 🥖

The French use four simple ingredients:  flour, water, yeast, and salt.  Nope, there are no additives or preservatives, or stuff to make it complicated.  Simple.  Tasty.  Worth every bite.  And required by a bread law!  In 1993 the law, Le Décret Pain, defined the specific characteristics,  required baguettes must be made on premises, and only contain the 4 ingredients. 

The dough is typically fermented slowly to develop the distinct taste and texture of a light and fluffy middle and a crunchy crackly crust. The Boulangerie, French for the local bakery, makes the bread fresh every day, subject to French regulations to ensure the authenticity of the baguettes. 

They have to make it daily since those pesky preservatives are nowhere to be found.  So for fun, read the ingredients on your next bread purchase.  I pulled the ingredients for a loaf of bread that is considered somewhat healthy in the US (you don’t want to see the ingredients for regular white bread!):

Ingredients: 🍞

Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Yeast, Brown Sugar, Wheat Gluten, Contains 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Salt, Monoglycerides, Enzymes, Ascorbic Acid, Soybean Oil, Vinegar, Cultured Wheat Flour, Monocalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin

That is a whole lot more than flour, water, yeast, and salt, unfortunately.  But also why it is shelf stable and can last over a week before it gets dry.  Choices.  I will now be channeling my inner French and buying my bread daily.  Au revoir!