I am truly encouraged to discover that there is in fact an official best baguette. Apparently there's an annual competition: "Best Baguette in Paris Award 2008". 14 of the entrants 143 14 were automatically eliminated for not complying with the criteria of size and weight peculiar to the “baguette tradition” (70 cm long, between 250 and 300 g) - only in France. Or maybe that's the EU?
Well - the baguette tournament was a cliffhanger, coming down to a nerve-wracking run-in between "two baguettes – numbers 132 and 97 – which were tied. The jury therefore carefully re-examined them, still tasting “blind”, in order to decide between them. Number 132 was unanimously found to be richer in aroma and taste, whilst number 97 appealed perhaps more for its attractively browned appearance and voluptuous, gourmet aspect."
Here's the winner brandishing the victorious baguette: Anis Bouabsa,28. Apart from the glory, he will be supplying the Élysée palace for a year so will have to hire someone to deliver the President’s baguettes every morning.
