The French have a long history of disliking the British. The British have a long history of not liking the French. From the days of early colonialism as competing sea powers to modern day resentment founded on cultural differences, the two have harbored something resembling the way Americans feel about Canadians. A general dismissal based on exaggerated stereotypes. But now the French will have another reason to begrudge the Brits. As reported in the Guardian U.K.this morning, Fosters of Barnsley, a British bakery will now be making all the baguettes for the French railway system. How the French were undermined in their own subway system at supplying their own traditional bread comes down to the contents of the bread. French law prohibits the use of fat in baguettes. This means the baguettes go stale quickly. In steps the British bakery, which has side-stepped the French law and put fat in the baguettes, letting them retain their soft, fluffy nature while being peddled to French commuters.
–Nick
2 responses so far ↓
Antoine // May 7, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I wouldn’t brag about that, because what this article really says is that the French Railways (SNCF, not the Subway) has decided to provide their customer with industrial food instead of traditionnal baguette.
It’s not really a matter of going stale, since you never got a stale baguette aboard, it’s just a matter of economics: why spend money on traditional fresh baguettes when you can have fat-filled always chewy keep-it-that-way-for-a-week baguettes?
Food on French trains has been bad and over-priced since the disappearance of restaurant wagons in the early 80s. When it comes to efficient industrial food, it makes a whole lot of sense to turn to the Brits.
Personnally, I’m not changing my plans: I buy my sandwitch and wine in my neighborhood and enjoy the ride with cheap and good products. Which is what I’ll be doing in half and hour…
And while the Brits sell a few baguette to some trains in France, guess where the US army is buying their airplanes….?
nickobourn // May 7, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Antoine,
Thanks for the feedback. Appropriate corrections have been made. Please keep buying your sandwich and wine from your local artisan people. They are the soul of food.
Yes, I know, our airplanes are put together in Europe.
–Nick
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