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Article: The Fall and Rise of French Bread
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- August 24, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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How do you recognize really good French bread? Listen to Steven
Kaplan, a Cornell University history professor who has spent much of
his life examining that question.
"To me there is nothing more exalting than a good baguette," he
says. "Its attractive appearance seduces you and gives you an
appetite to go farther. When you squeeze it, its golden brown crust
should crackle and even sing. Its aroma should be a little bit sweet,
a little bit toasty. There should be a good marriage between its
crust and its interior crumb. When the crumb is pressed, it should
spring back rapidly. Its color should be off-white and its cavities
widely distributed and uneven in size. Its nutty, buttery taste ...