Chapter 1
The sourdough guardians of Paris
Chapter 2
The pastry rebels who rewrote the rules
Chapter 3
The ancient flatbreads and clay ovens of the East
Chapter 4
The sweet panaderías and panettone masters
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret life of master bakers
Ch 1 · The sourdough guardians of Paris
alicecooks Sourdough Guardians of Paris
Still bubbling up, still bubbling up, alive since nineteen thirty-two!
alicecooks August Zang introduced Viennese pastries to 1839 Paris, inspiring the modern 55-layer croissant laminated at 16 to 18
alicecooks Flour coated hands knead dough near scored baguettes and wicker bannetons.
Fun Fact
Sourdough library: A unique library in St. Vith, Belgium, preserves over 100 active sourdough starters from around the world to safeguard baking history.
Glossary
sourdough (noun)
Bread made from dough leavened with a fermenting starter of wild yeast and bacteria. In 2002, Apollonia Poilâne inherited her family's Parisian bakery, preserving their legendary wood-fired sourdough tradition.
Bread made from dough leavened with a fermenting starter of wild yeast and bacteria. In 2002, Apollonia Poilâne inherited her family's Parisian bakery, preserving their legendary wood-fired sourdough tradition.
Quiz
On which historic Parisian street did Pierre Poilâne open his first bakery in 1932?
Quiz
Which Austrian baker is credited with introducing the ancestor of the croissant to Paris in the 1830s?
Quiz
Where is the world's only official Sourdough Library, which preserves historic bread starters, located?
Quiz
What is the traditional weight of a signature Poilâne sourdough miche loaf baked in Paris?
Quiz
Which type of bacteria works alongside wild yeast in a sourdough starter to give the bread its sour taste?
Quiz
In which year did the French government pass the 'Décret Pain' to legally protect the traditional baguette?
Quiz
What are the only four ingredients allowed in a traditional French baguette under the 1993 Bread Decree?
Quiz
What temperature range in Celsius is ideal for laminating butter into croissant dough to prevent melting?