Fete du Pain

Today's honored guest

Getting the baguettes ready for the oven

Next into the oven

Many people believe that the Eiffel Tower symbolizes France.  For me its scope is limited to Paris.  But a baguette is a national symbol; I can't think of any other image that so readily calls to mind the entire country of France.  Today, that symbol was everywhere in Place Andre Chenier--it's the Bread Festival.  

The patron saint of bakers--more specifically, bread bakers, is Saint Honore...and his saint's day is May 16, so the festival is a little late.  But nobody seemed inclined to nitpick and boycott the festivities because the date was wrong.  

Getting the dough to rise

It began at 7 this morning, which is early for a festival, but late in the day for a boulanger.  They've been at it since early morning hours, mixing, proofing and shaping the mixture of flour, water and magic.  Many boulangeries open their doors to customers at 7 AM, and that bread didn't bake itself.

Conferring

The art of breadbaking is taught in the trade schools here. One of the (many) things I like about France is that they have made a conscious, concerted effort to keep their traditional trades alive.  There are thriving apprentice systems and confreries--kind of like guilds to teach the crafts and trades.  

Outdoor oven

Can you smell the baking bread?

There were several booths selling the products of local boulangeries--bread bakeries.  Maybe I should explain that boulangeries might sell desserts, like the occasional lemon tart or almond croissant, but bread is their mainstay.  Patisseries--pastry shops--might sell the occasional baguette or brioche, but beautiful dessert works of art are their mainstay.   

Students from one of the trade school selling their wares

Sausage, anyone?

There were also some booths selling other foodstuffs, honey, dried sausages, crepes as well as a flower vendor and an ice cream vendor.  What really surprised me was the number of "flea market" shops selling collectibles, antiques, and let's face it--junk.  I guess bric-a-brac knows no nationality.

Junk is international

Not much to do with bread, but lots of foot traffic

More junk, looking toward the stage

The organizers had erected an impressive stage and when I was there, the guild was honoring one of its long-time members.  Members of the confrerie of boulangers (Confederation of bread bakers) were wearing their caps and gowns and medallions, and the millers were there with sacks of flour and their red bandannas.  It wouldn't be France without the sashes and medallions and the speeches.

Millers act as emcees

Gowns and medals, and oh yes, the hats--Serious business

The "official" honored guest

I watched these loaves come out of that outdoor oven

Pain au raisins

Crusty, floury--yummy

I did not see one smidgen of plastic shrink wrap in evidence.  The bread was NOT uniform--it has to weigh a certain number of grams, but the loaves can look different.  There are burned and charred ends sometimes.  It's real food, not processed food product.  And the taste???!!!  I have no adequate words.  All I can say is, come visit and taste for yourself.  

Someone should have given him some bread