A Crisis at the Boulangerie

The Château de Balleure is in a tiny hamlet, about 20 minutes from civilization, such as grocery stores, etc. So the boulangerie, which is just a mile away in the next village, is quite important. Not so long ago it was owned by a grumpy old Madame who sat just inside the door, smoking a cigarette. She sat on a hard stool guarding the only item for sale: a basket of long, slender baguettes. Requests that they perhaps make the occasional pain aux céréales (whole grain bread) were rebuffed. “We’re in the countryside, no one here will buy that,” she would mutter.

Then a miracle: Madame retired, and a young, ambitious couple took over. Suddenly the bakery, freshened up with paint and new shelves, is a happening place. There is a grand counter, piled high with croissants, pain au chocolat, brioche sprinkled with coarse sugar, and small pizzas to take out. There are fat loaves with walnuts and raisins, and slim ones studded with corn or sprinkled with seeds and grains. Baguettes of all shapes and sizes line the bins on the wall. Madame at the counter always has a pleasant word, and Monsieur happily works the ovens all day. The bakery is bustling with lively chatter, the customers there to pick up their daily bread, their morning paper, and the latest gossip.

Photo: pain au chocolat at the boulangerie in Etrigny, near the château

So all was well until that problematic month arrived: August in France, when everyone in Europe takes their vacation at the same time. Astonishingly, many of the restaurateurs and hôteliers take theirs as well. And—quel horreur!—so does our baker, just when the guests are arriving and parties are planned. This was, indeed, une crise.

Photo: Our baker,Adrien, in Etrigny, with Allison: how can we go on without him?

Nicole, our châtelaine, is not phased. Our village will take over and make the bread, announces that master organizer. Say what? Bake bread for the whole area? But as usual, Nicole has a plan. Someone in our village has a four à pain, a old bread oven from another age, in a little stone building which was built just for that purpose. Could this work?

Tune in next week, to see how it all went. In the meantime, guest chef Nicole has agreed to teach us how to make a baguette. And if you are a dieter, take heart: a fresh baguette, hot from the oven, is a great treat and has zero grams of fat. It needs no adornment: just tear off an end and start munching. Bon appétit, y’all!

Photo: Our Guest Chef Nicole, at work

RECIPE: Nicole’s Real Live French Baguettes

Yeast breads are not really in my repertoire, so I haven’t tried this out. Anyway, I’m lucky enough to have Nicole to make them for me!

Makes 2 loaves

Instead of adding the flour, water and yeast all at once, the French traditionally make a levain with part of the ingredients, and let it rise before mixing it with the rest.
Ingredients:
2 t. active dry yeast
1 ½ cup water (divided)
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (divided)
2 t. salt

First prepare the levain:
In a bowl mix the yeast with ¾ cup lukewarm water (105 -115 degrees). When well mixed, add ¾ cup flour. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave it to rise for 3 hours in a warm place. The dough will double in size and will be covered with bubbles.

When the levain is ready, in a larger bowl combine the rest of the flour with the rest of the water, and the salt. Add the levain, mix the two together and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky, and is smooth and elastic. Leave it to rest in a warm place for 1 and a half hours, covered with a damp tea towel.

Punch dough down and turn out on a lightly floured surface. Clap it by passing it from one hand to the other to get rid of the gas. Shape it into a ball and leave it to rise for one more hour in a warm place covered by a damp tea towel.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide it in half. Roll each half and shape into 2 baguettes, place on a cookie sheet, and leave it to rise for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Put a roasting pan with an inch of water on the bottom of a gas oven or on lowest rack of electric oven. Heat the oven to 450°. (Nicole says, “When we use the village wood-burning bread oven, we put a piece a paper in, and when it becomes a light brown color without burning or browning, it’s the right temperature”. Do not try this at home!)

Dampen the surface of the bread with water (with your hands, or a brush). Make 3 shallow diagonal slashes down the length of each loaf with a sharp knife or razor. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Congratulate yourself, you are oh so French!

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