The humble baguette 含羞草研究社� the crunchy ambassador for French baking around the world 含羞草研究社� is being added to the U.N.含羞草研究社檚 list of intangible cultural heritage as a cherished tradition to be preserved by humanity.
UNESCO experts gathering in Morocco this week decided that the simple French flute 含羞草研究社� made only of flour, water, salt, and yeast 含羞草研究社� deserved United Nations recognition, after France含羞草研究社檚 culture ministry warned of a 含羞草研究社渃ontinuous decline含羞草研究社� in the number of traditional bakeries, with some 400 closing every year over the past half-century.
The U.N. cultural agency含羞草研究社檚 chief, Audrey Azoulay, said the decision honors more than just bread; it recognizes the 含羞草研究社渟avoir-faire of artisanal bakers含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渁 daily ritual.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t is important that such craft knowledge and social practices can continue to exist in the future,含羞草研究社� added Azoulay, a former French culture minister.
The agency defines intangible cultural heritage as 含羞草研究社渢raditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants.含羞草研究社�
With the bread含羞草研究社檚 new status, the French government said it planned to create an artisanal baguette day, called the 含羞草研究社淥pen Bakehouse Day,含羞草研究社� to connect the French better with their heritage.
Back in France, bakers seemed proud, if unsurprised.
含羞草研究社淥f course, it should be on the list because the baguette symbolizes the world. It含羞草研究社檚 universal,含羞草研究社� said Asma Farhat, baker at Julien含羞草研究社檚 Bakery near Paris含羞草研究社� Champs-Elysees avenue.
含羞草研究社淚f there含羞草研究社檚 no baguette, you can含羞草研究社檛 have a proper meal. In the morning you can toast it, for lunch it含羞草研究社檚 a sandwich, and then it accompanies dinner.含羞草研究社�
Although it seems like the quintessential French product, the baguette was said to have been invented by Vienna-born baker August Zang in 1839. Zang put in place France含羞草研究社檚 steam oven, making it possible to produce bread with a brittle crust yet fluffy interior.
The product含羞草研究社檚 zenith did not come until the 1920s, with the advent of a French law preventing bakers from working before 4 a.m. The baguette含羞草研究社檚 long, thin shape meant it could be made more quickly than its stodgy cousins, so it was the only bread that bakers could make in time for breakfast.
Despite the decline in traditional bakery numbers today, France含羞草研究社檚 67 million people still remain voracious baguette consumers 含羞草研究社� purchased at a variety of sales points, including in supermarkets. The problem is, observers say, that they can often be poor in quality.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 very easy to get bad baguette in France. It含羞草研究社檚 the traditional baguette from the traditional bakery that含羞草研究社檚 in danger. It含羞草研究社檚 about quality not quantity,含羞草研究社� said one Paris resident, Marine Fourchier, 52.
In January, French supermarket chain Leclerc was criticized by traditional bakers and farmers for its much publicized 29-cent baguette, accused of sacrificing the quality of the famed 65-centimeter (26-inch) loaf. A baguette normally costs just over 90 euro cents (just over $1), seen by some as an index on the health of the French economy.
The baguette is indeed serious business. France含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淏read Observatory含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� a venerable institution that closely follows the fortunes of the flute 含羞草研究社� notes that the French munch through 320 baguettes of one form or another every second. That含羞草研究社檚 an average of half a baguette per person per day, and 10 billion every year.
The 含羞草研究社渁rtisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread含羞草研究社� was inscribed at the Morocco meeting among other global cultural heritage items, including Japan含羞草研究社檚 Furyu-odori ritual dances, and Cuba含羞草研究社檚 light rum masters.
含羞草研究社擳homas Adamson, The Associated Press
