Doug comes out from the back and says, "we're going to have a baguette tasting. We're trying 5 different flours...wanna join us?" So much for a quiet morning...I'm in the back ready to eat...I mean "taste" faster than you can say "Oui monsieur." I've seen people do this before, I'm sure I can do this...I leave the coffee aside, ask for a cup of water (to clean the palate between baguettes, I've seen that on TV - I want to look like I know what I'm doing) and get a piece of paper and pencil to write down my observations. (Surely that will make me look like I know what I'm doing.)
We started out as three: Doug, Tony Stein a bread baker visiting from California and myself. We were soon joined by Matthew Swanson who lives next door and writes a blog that you can see at Idiots Books he's got photos of the "taste test" on the blog. Unlike the rest of us who were in work clothes, Matthew is still in his flannel pj's and slippers - what's his job...I want it!
The 5 different flours were from Canada and the US, if memory serves me correctly (I got so into EATING the baguettes that I forgot to WRITE anything down on the aforementioned paper - so much for knowing what I'd doing) two were organic flours. We started out by savoring the aromas of the baguettes. Doug suggested that we thoroughly chew the pieces we sampled to get a good sense of the taste.
I was immediately struck by how I did not have the vocabulary that I needed to describe what I was tasting. Mercifully, Doug came to our rescue suggesting different words that might describe the different loaves...fleshy, airy, ashy (yes ashy).
In his dedication to his craft, Doug continues to research different flours exploring the different characteristics that each flour possesses in the search for the perfect baguette...(forget the Grail, I'd rather be on the search for the perfect baguette)...For those of us who get to be customers of Against the Grain, it doesn't get any better than knowing that "our baker" has such a dedication to excellence.
In the end I had two favorites. The last one that I tried, the one with the ashy taste (and the crunchiest crust.) If I were having a baguette with just butter or with cheese, this is the one I'd want. The other baguette made with organic flour would be the one I'd have either by itself or with ham and cheese, mustard and butter in a sandwich.
Next time I'll remember to write things down so I can give more detail!
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