Battle of the Baguette
Battle of the Baguette
The French president Emmanuel Macron has stated recently that the baguette should be listed as a Unesco cultural treasure. In a statement in support of a national bakers’ association, he affirmed that:
"The baguette is the envy of the whole world.”
"Excellence and expertise must be preserved, and that is why it should be heritage-listed,"
Inspired by the success of Italy's Naples pizza, which was protected by the UN's cultural body last year after an intense lobbying campaign (including a petition signed by more than two million Italians), Macron hopes to add baguettes to the coveted list that aims to save traditions from.
The bakers say it is not just the name and shape, but the recipe and ingredients that need to be protected.
"Excellence and expertise must be preserved, and that is why it should be heritage-listed," President Macron stated in an interview with French radio as French artisans have voiced concern about mass-produced, low quality imitations. "A baguette is the symbol of France, like the Eiffel Tower," said Dominique Anract, the president of the national confederation of baking and pastry.
"When I see the the growing dominance of French supermarkets and convenience stores in the sale of bread, I say to myself that we must act.”
The traditional baguette is already protected in France by a 1993 law that instructs that the bread must only be made from wheat flour, water, yeast and salt and can not be frozen or contain added preservatives.
We hope you've enjoyed learning about the Battle of the Baguette! Do you think the legendary bread has earned it's place among the list of Unesco cultural treasures? Leave a comment below and tell us why!