When you find yourself in the land of perfect baguettes and buttery, flaky croissants, it's impossible not to fall a little in love with bread. In my case, my love story with artisanal bread, kneaded by my own hands, had already been going strong for several years. And as they say, Paris is the capital of love in all its forms. After the fascinating adventure of Hautes Études du Goût last fall, in December, I decided to take my love for bread to the next level and returned to school for a short course in traditional baking with Olivier Boudot, Chef-instructor at Le Cordon Bleu and European champion in the art of bread making.
In mid-December, when everyone’s thoughts turn to Christmas, preparations, and gifts, the hustle and bustle in Paris intensifies like never before, the influx of tourists increases, and congestion becomes inevitable. After all, as Hemingway once said, Paris is a continuous celebration. However, during this time, my thoughts were focused on all the things I was about to discover, and my celebration was baking. The joyful anticipation was my companion on the journey, on the metro heading towards Javel. Beyond the city's hustle, my enthusiasm was rewarded with two full days of the magic of traditional French baking and many delicious memories, with a crispy crust and airy crumb.
From explaining fundamental concepts such as basic temperature and the stages of the baking process, to kneading, proofing, shaping, scoring, baking, and tasting, Chef Olivier Boudot demonstrated and guided us in producing rustic bread, simple baguettes, baguette de tradition, spinach bread, whole grain bread, baguette viennoise, fougasse provençale, brioche, and buttery croissants—all crafted by our own hands. The results delighted me immensely—especially the croissants and the traditional baguette, for which I have a special affinity and plan to practice repeatedly at home, even though the resources and conditions will differ from those in a bakery workshop.
Among all the breads prepared and baked during the workshop—and I left each evening with 2-3 bags of bread!—I found a few moments to talk with Chef Olivier Boudot, whose enthusiasm and passion for baking remained intact even after more than 20 years of high-level experience. Like many valuable people I have met over time, his personal philosophy places great importance on the idea of sharing knowledge, passing on what he knows to his students, just as he learned from the masters he had. I realized once again that the art of bread making is closely linked not only to technique and savoir-faire but also to generosity, love for people, and passion for what you do.
With these thoughts in mind and my stash of bread squeezed into insulated bags, I left the course, honored to have received baking lessons from a European champion. Following what I learned from the Chef, I also shared the bread I made with those around me, feeling like a little Santa Claus ahead of time. The joy soon followed. 🙂
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