With 161 candidates against last year’s 143, the 2009 Award already holds a record for participation in terms of numbers. This is proof that the competition, created in 1993, has achieved its aim of creating a healthy competitive spirit among the capital’s bakers thereby increasing the quality of the average “traditional” baguette. Invented in 1830, this specifically Parisian institution is, more than ever, a symbol of France’s appreciation of good food, as attested by the healthy sales of the national jambon-beurre (ham and butter) sandwich (2.2 million of which are sold every day, or in other terms, 8 baguette sandwiches for every hamburger sold) and by the proliferation of French boulangeries in New York and Tokyo.
The jury was not standing for any nonsense with regard to the rules. Thirty-one baguettes were automatically eliminated for not complying with the criteria of size and weight peculiar to the “baguette tradition.”  (The measurements must be 60 to 70cm with a weight of 250 to 300 grams.)

 

The jury was chaired by Madame Lyne Cohen-Solal, the deputy Mayor of Paris, and consisted of 17 members from the professions of bakery, catering and journalism.  One hundred and thirty baguettes made that very morning at 7 Quai d’Anjou (on Île Saint-Louis) were thus carefully examined from 2 to 6pm, at this venue which has been the historical headquarters of master bakers since 1843.

The atmosphere was studious but it nevertheless became heated around 5pm when something of an argument took place between the young Anis Bouabsa, the winner of the 2008 award and the great bread historian Steven Kaplan. The latter had indeed made up his mind to criticise the young bakers for “no longer knowing how to bake a baguette!” His remarks cut Anis to the quick who retorted that along with all the fellow members of  the profession he was doing nothing more than responding to the desires of  customers who are, on the whole, always asking him for “baguettes which aren't over-baked.”

This debate demonstrates the present necessity to educate the public so that they become receptive to the infinite subtleties of taste. A baguette obviously has to be well baked in order to develop its aromas, its taste and its crustiness. This is the reason why competition baguettes are always baked longer than those one buys everyday.

 

Despite the Baguette Award's growing success, it nevertheless also has its critics. One of the best bakers in Paris, Christophe Vasseur (of rue Yves Toudic in the 10^th arrondissement) refuses to take part in it, arguing “that anyone can make a good baguette just for this one day of the Award.” In his opinion the jury should “test baguettes that are bought without prior warning because it's the only way to assess the master baker's expertise.”

This is a fair comment, yet it is not completely convincing as the winners of recent years have thoroughly deserved the award. Whether one considers Anis Bouabsa in 2008 (who had already won the Meilleur Ouvrier de France award in 2004), Arnaud Delmontel in 2007 or Jean-Pierre Cohier in 2006, all three master craftsmen have always shown great consistency in the production of their baguettes and viennoiserie.

 

However the criticism formulated by Steven Kaplan, one of the most distinguished members of the jury is more problematic. In his opinion the scoring system out of 20 is “outmoded” as it puts the baguette's appearance on an equal footing with its taste and its aroma. Is a fine looking baguette necessarily a delicious baguette? The debate could be endless!
On Tuesday 17^th March, in everyone's opinion, the baguette with the most attractive appearance belonged to Frank Tombarel. Its golden crust, regular knife strokes and  pearly glossed, honeycombed crumb produced a unanimous consensus amongst the jury. However several members made a point of drawing attention to the fact that in terms of taste the most sumptuous was, in their view, the baguette of Stéphane Eury (a baker from the rue de Meaux in the 19^th arrondissement) who only ended up coming third. Could there be a hint of rebellion in the air? Will the scoring system be changed? We will find out in March 2010!