According to estimates, France produces about six billion baguettes annually, but its culture ministry has warned of a “continuous reduction” in the number of traditional bakeries.
The classic French baguette has been added to the list of intangible cultural treasures by the United Nations.
Wednesday, experts voted to add the long loaf with a crunchy crust to the UNESCO list under the description “artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread.”
The baguette has been a staple of French cuisine for at least 100 years, joining kimchi, reggae music from Jamaica, yoga, and about 600 other customs from over 130 nations.
President Emmanuel Macron praised the move in a tweet, describing the baguette as “a French way of life” and “250 grams of enchantment and perfection in our daily lives.”
Also stated: “We had fought with bakers and the culinary world for years for its recognition. The baguette has been added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural treasures!”
Mr. Macron also shared an iconic black-and-white photograph taken in 1952 by the French photographer Willy Ronis of a little kid sprinting and grinning while carrying a baguette larger than himself.
The head of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, stated that the decision recognizes not only bread but also the “savoir-faire of artisanal bakers” and “a daily ritual.”
“It is essential that these abilities and social behaviors persist into the future”
According to a 2019 estimate by Fiducial, France produces 16 million loaves each day, or roughly six billion per year.
Nonetheless, the ministry of culture has warned of a “continuous fall” in the number of traditional bakeries, with approximately 400 closing years over the past 50 years.
It is simple to obtain subpar baguettes.
Marine Fourchier, a resident of Paris, remarked: “In France, it is relatively easy to obtain a subpar baguette. In jeopardy is the customary baguette from the traditional bakery. Quality is more important than quantity.”
In January, traditional French bakers and farmers criticized the French grocer Leclerc for their widely publicized 29-cent baguette, accusing it of lowering quality.
A baguette, whose name translates to “wand” or “baton,” is normally sold for approximately one euro (87p) and is manufactured using flour, water, salt, and yeast.
With the bread’s new status, the government aims to create an artisanal baguette day, dubbed Open Bakehouse Day, to strengthen the French connection to their heritage.
Despite the simplicity of the baguette’s components, the dough must rest for 15 to 20 hours at a temperature between 4C and 6C, according to the French Bakers Confederation, which battles to safeguard its market from industrial bakeries.
In 1839, Austrian-born baker August Zang is credited with inventing the baguette, even though it is a symbol of France.
