Article: At French bread's battlements

PARIS -- A gustatory plague is sweeping this land of fine cuisine, and baker Michel Perruche has been at work since 2 a.m., determined to halt it.

Inside his bakery, the ovens' heat sends sweat coursing down his brow. His stocky bare chest and arms are powdered white with flour. But nothing will persuade this bread chef to do what many of his compatriots are doing -- renounce the traditional means of making French bread for the faster, industrial method.

"The importance of French bread is being lost," said Perruche, clucking with disdain and wiping his hands on his apron with disgust. "There are more eaters than tasters these days."

At a time when France is desperately fighting to ...

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