Cheese Recommendations

[Barry]

I'm not keen on sourdough bread, but I might give those crackers a try. But like you, I prefer a nice fresh baguette or baton with cheese.

No problems sourcing either in supermarkets here. Why should there be?

[Marco]

I'm not keen on sourdough bread, but I might give those crackers a try. But like you, I prefer a nice fresh baguette or baton with cheese.

No problems sourcing either in supermarkets here. Why should there be?

The Carr's ones? They're great

In terms of baguettes, you can find soft, spongy 'things', which purport to be 'baguettes' (look somewhat like loofas), but not (at least round here) anything resembling the real McCoy, which is long and THIN and CRISP, with a hard outer crust, and which crucially are light as a feather and don't weigh half a ton, due to being more dough than anything else, and which taste of nothing...

What an authentic French baguette should look like, and which the likes of Tesco once sold: https://tasteofartisan.com/french-baguette-recipe/

Note the thick outer crust and golden colour, plus the heavily-aerated, off-white centre. The stick itself should be rigid, not pale-coloured, soft and floppy [stop giggling at the back], with a mushy centre, as found on current supermarket varieties, and only able to be cut with a sharp (serrated) knife, plus it should be thin, not wide and fat!

Since lockdown, and exit of the EU, we haven't tried Waitrose (as it's in Chester), but in all the supermarkets around here, and all the majors are represented, nothing resembling the above exists in their stores.

Yes, I'm super-fussy about bread, and things like baguettes and ciabatta being made PROPERLY to authentic recipes, with the appropriate flour!

Marco.

[struth]

The Carr's ones? They're great

In terms of baguettes, you can find soft, spongy 'things', which purport to be 'baguettes' (look somewhat like loofas), but not (at least round here) anything resembling the real McCoy, which is long and THIN and CRISP, with a hard outer crust, and which crucially are light as a feather and don't weigh half a ton, due to being more dough than anything else, and which taste of nothing...

What an authentic French baguette should look like, and which the likes of Tesco once sold: https://tasteofartisan.com/french-baguette-recipe/

Note the thick outer crust and golden colour. The stick should be rigid, not soft and floppy [stop giggling at the back], and only able to be cut with a sharp knife, plus thin, not wide and fat!

Since lockdown, and exit of the EU, we haven't tried Waitrose (as it's in Chester), but in all the supermarkets around here, and all the majors are represented, nothing resembling the above exists in their stores.

Yes, I'm super-fussy about bread, and things like baguettes and ciabatta being made PROPERLY to authentic recipes, with the appropriate flour!

Marco.

but i like soft and floppy its all i have left mate....maybe

as for cream crackers, ive been buying sainsbury's own brand and they are as good if not better tan the originals at a third of price. pattersons oatcakes are very good too. rough type

[Marco]

but i like soft and floppy its all i have left mate....maybe

as for cream crackers, ive been buying sainsbury's own brand and they are as good if not better tan the originals at a third of price. pattersons oatcakes are very good too. rough type

The princess would divorce me, lol!

But yes, I know where you're coming from, if you have little or no teeth, but for others, including me, with a mouthful of fully-functioning nashers, we like a CRUST!!

...and 90% of bread sold in UK supermarkets has no discernible crust, or if there is one, it's as soft as putty, and probably as flavourless! Are Brits a largely toothless nation? I dunno... But when you're abroad and go into a supermarket, especially in France, there's no shortage of nice CRUSTY loaves!

It's just the norm and what I was brought up with, not the soft, tasteless doughy shite usually sold here

Marco.

[struth]

The princess would divorce me, lol!

But yes, I know where you're coming from, if you have little or no teeth, but for others, including me, with a mouthful of fully-functioning nashers, we like a CRUST!!

...and 90% of bread sold in UK supermarkets has no discernible crust, or if there is one, it's as soft as putty, and probably as flavourless! Are Brits a largely toothless nation? I dunno... But when you're abroad and go into a supermarket, especially in France, there's no shortage of nice CRUSTY loaves!

It's just the norm and what I was brought up with, not the soft, tasteless doughy shite usually sold here

Marco.

lol, no she wouldnt... she would just bring me in and improve my teeth

no, i used to like a crusty thing myself(had plenty) ive a baguette tray that i used to make good french on. interestingly its countries like uk and america that eat cheap soft bread that is made quickly that have gluten and wheat issues by far more than places like france

[Marco]

lol, no she wouldnt... she would just bring me in and improve my teeth

HAHAHAHA... Aye that sounds about right - ensuring she gets what she *WANTS*, one way or the other - settling for anything less is simply NOT an option!!

no, i used to like a crusty thing myself(had plenty) ive a baguette tray that i used to make good french on. interestingly its countries like uk and america that eat cheap soft bread that is made quickly that have gluten and wheat issues by far more than places like france

Indeed, mate, and probably one of the reasons why I have no such issues, as I've eaten very little of that cack.

Marco.

[Marco]

Things like this are being sold as 'baguettes', when they're simply not the same animal: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-G...D540%26w%3D540



Marco.

[guy]

Yes, your right about baguettes Marco - and bread in general. French bakers are a delight (and two bakes a day I think), one of the things that I miss about holidays in France.

I think we allowed large companies to get away with murder with the mass adoption of the Chorley Wood process - if I have a British baguette, I scoop out the inner (which you can roll in to a damp doughy ball

I think that the French have a set of regulations about what can be called a baguette, like so much about the French I admire and respect their attitude to food, and their pride in their own produce.
Although the last time I went, about four years ago, it was noticeable that they seem to be increasing the number of bland food products and "fast food" outlets - progress I suppose

[Marco]

YI think we allowed large companies to get away with murder with the mass adoption of the Chorley Wood process...

Wossat, then? Not heard of it before

The basic (and age old) problem is that, in general, Brits simply aren't discerning enough about the quality of food that they eat, bread in particular, which is a *massive* part of European culture and where some form of crusty bread (commonly homemade) would accompany almost every meal. However, things here have improved massively from 20-30 years ago, where it truly *was* dreadful!

Quite simply, if people were more discerning, it would drive up standards and force manufacturers to cater for the demand, by creating better products, but as long as the majority of folk are happy with a 'Hovis special', or affronts to genuine baguettes (as shown), standards won't improve. We could make our own bread of course, but as we (or rather mostly Del) already cooks everything else from scratch, it's just a 'job too far'.

We just want to be able to nick into a shop that sells nice bread, buy it and be done with it, but which is becoming an increasingly difficult task!

Marco.

[struth]

back in the day, british wheat was low in protein so it wasnt ideal for making good bread.