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20 Comments

  1. Patricia M Osborne
    5th June 2021 @ 1:42 pm

    Wow! Great blog, Beth! Well done for getting up early. I bet the bread smelt and tasted devine. It certainly has got my taste buds going.

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  2. Nancy McBride
    5th June 2021 @ 2:27 pm

    I am suffering, here, drooling for a taste that would become inhaling the WHOLE loaf! The smells!

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  3. Steve
    5th June 2021 @ 7:17 pm

    Great blog Beth. Just started making baguettes at home. I found a simple recipe online and they turn out great without having to knead the dough. A bit limited to oven space, so four at a time is the maximum, but that’s plenty for us for two days

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  4. Lindylou
    5th June 2021 @ 11:58 pm

    Wow Beth, how wonderful. Fresh crusty bread is my weakness, the smell and rast is divine. You had me drooling.
    What a privilege for you, well done Malik and Mikel.
    Another wonderful blog, thank you xx

    Reply

  5. Jean Henrickson
    6th June 2021 @ 12:31 am

    Fabulous writing Beth! How I long for a French croissant fresh from the oven! No hope whatsoever in Perth, Australia. We are told it is because the flour is wrong. But your early morning start must have taken real courage! Jx

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  6. Beth Haslam
    6th June 2021 @ 10:14 am

    Thanks so much, Tricia. Getting up early was absolutely worth it, the aromas, and watching Malik and Mikel work was fascinating. 🙂

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  7. Beth Haslam
    6th June 2021 @ 10:28 am

    Bless you, Nancy, don't suffer! You're right, though, those aromas are very hard to beat. And yes, they tasted every bit as good as they looked. 😀

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  8. Beth Haslam
    6th June 2021 @ 10:28 am

    Thank you, Steve. I think that's excellent, well done you! 😀

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  9. Beth Haslam
    6th June 2021 @ 10:30 am

    Thanks so much for reading my account, Lindylou. If it's any consolation, I did lots of drooling too! Honestly, I had such a lovely time. Malik and Mikel truly are lovely gentlemen and master bakers. 😀 xx

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  10. Beth Haslam
    6th June 2021 @ 10:31 am

    Bless you, Jean, thanks so much. I genuinely do think it's hard to beat French bread, and having seen how much love and dedication goes into making it, I can understand why. My early start was a tiny challenge, but definitely worth it! 😀 x

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  11. Jackie Skingley
    7th June 2021 @ 1:34 am

    Ah Beth, the joys of living in France! Bravo for this great blog and to all the bakers about to start the ritual of bread making in villages and towns up and town the country.

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  12. Vallypee
    7th June 2021 @ 9:15 am

    What a wonderful post, Beth! And such a privilege to be able to watch the process. I love the fact they are so passionate about what they do. Inspiring men producing such huge quantities of bread and croissants with so much dedication!

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  13. Beth Haslam
    7th June 2021 @ 10:38 am

    Thank you very much, Jackie. We are so lucky to live in this wonderful country among these amazingly talented folks. 🙂

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  14. Beth Haslam
    7th June 2021 @ 10:40 am

    You are kind, Val, thanks so much. You're right, I can't tell you how lucky I was to have this opportunity. Malik and Mikel are such kind, dedicated men. 🙂

    Reply

  15. learntravelitalian
    7th June 2021 @ 10:08 pm

    What a wonderful experience you had! I can almost smell the fresh baked bread from across the pond! My son insists that French bread is the best… and I know now how exacting the process is.

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  16. Beth Haslam
    8th June 2021 @ 7:30 am

    Thanks so much for reading my account. Yes, there is a touch of science about the process, lots of love goes into it too. I was incredibly lucky to be able to watch these dedicated artisans producing such amazing bread. 🙂

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  17. Jemille Williams
    9th June 2021 @ 9:42 am

    Thank you for this first-person account of all that goes into the bread we see patiently waiting for us to buy it.
    I love Malik's passion. It would be terrible to have to go to work at 3:30 if you hated your job!
    But when you got to the part where he bashes the butter with his pin, I began to understand. I'll bet he gets all his frustrations out at work.

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  18. Beth Haslam
    9th June 2021 @ 1:01 pm

    Thanks so much for reading my account, Jemille. You're right, it takes dedication to cope with the hours these artisans keep. Butter bashing is a wonderful way to get rid of frustrations! 😀

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  19. Carolyn
    20th June 2021 @ 11:36 am

    Dammit – such fun. I love the smell of proper bread and we are starved of really good stuff in my part of the UK. Oh let us free to travel to better climes.

    Reply

  20. Beth Haslam
    20th June 2021 @ 5:51 pm

    Heh heh heh, it truly was heaven, Carolyn, and such a treat to be allowed behind the scenes as t'were. I know, travel is still so challenging. I sincerely hope we can all start crossing borders soon.

    Reply

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