March 21st is National French Bread Day #NationalFrenchBreadDay. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t mind having a slice of French Bread with Butter for a snack today . Before Charlie and David ask no, not Garlic Bread plain ol fashioned French Bread. Would you like to have a slice with me?
Why you decide if you want a piece of French Bread did you know French Bread can trace its start to a rather unlikely set of circumstances? Thanks to a law passed in 1920 that prohibited bakers from working before 4 a.m., morning commuters needed a new type of Bread.
Which is why French Bread was born. Lucky for you, National French Bread Day, is held annually on March 21st, and it is the perfect opportunity to indulge in French Bread that is characteristically crunchy on the outside and delectably Doughy on the inside.
National French Bread Day Activities
- Join us and we can celebrate with National French bread Day with store-bought French Bread, but we all know there’s nothing quite like the real, fresh made from scratch French Bread is there?
- Not only will the French Bread be steamy and delicious, but if you’ve never made Bread before, you’ll end National French Bread Day feeling accomplished and proud of your newly learned baking skills. To make the event more memorable invite your friends and family to bake French Bread with you.
- French Bread is perfect any time of day, so now’s the chance to eat French Bread all day, at every meal. Use French Bready Day for an Egg Sandwich in the morning, Veggies or Cold Cuts for lunch, or dunk a slice of crusty French Bread into Soup at dinnertime.
- If you work outside of the home recruit coworkers to help bring in French Bread goodies for the office. Designate people to bring in baskets filled with slices of French Bread for snacks throughout the day, finger Sandwiches for lunch, and bake (or purchase) French Bread twists with Chocolate Chips as a sweet treat.
French Facts About French Bread
- Did you know “The French love dipping French Bread into hot Coffee or Tea? I didn’t know that and before you ask I don’t want to try it. Do you?
- Food off a plate and on a table is usually a no-no, but with French Bread, etiquette calls for it to be placed straight on the table.
- Because of the French Breads unique shape, French Bread is typically carried under the arm which is why it’s normal to own a Baguette Bag in France.
- The French love their desserts, and they’ve found that French Bread makes the perfect vessel for Chocolate Chips.
- It’s normal for Frenchmen to rip or straight up nibble their French Bread before they even get home.
Why People Love National French Bread Day
- Not only is French Bread mouthwateringly yummy, there are some important criteria that go into creating French Bread. For example, French Bread needs to be between 5 and 6 centimeters wide, 65 centimeters long, have a golden outside, and an ivory inside.
- Bread is usually the first thing to go when trying to cut weight or bloat, National Friench Bread Day is a chance to indulge guilt-free. However, when it comes to Breads, making French Bread is as strict as it gets; in fact, in 1993 the French government established a law called the “Décret Pain” which prohibits the use of additives or preservatives. Also, it needs to be baked on the premises where it’s sold, and it can only contain the following four ingredients: Yeast, Wheat Flour, Salt, and Water.
- Whether you bake your own French Bread or simply incorporate it into a new recipe, try to branch out from the norm and try new things. For instance, try making a French Bread Pudding, French Bread Pizza, or Garlic Bread.
Recipe for French Bread
Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 35 mins Additional Time: 1 hour 45 mins Total Time: 2 hours 45 mins
Servings: 30 Yield: 2 large loaves
Ingredients
Original recipe yields 30 servings
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
Directions
- Gather all ingredients.
- Grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside.
- Combine 2 cups flour, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in 2 cups warm water; beat with the dough hook attachment until blended. Continue adding remaining flour, a little at a time, until incorporated.
- Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, and turn once.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Punch dough down and divide in half.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll each half into a large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.
- Place loaves, seam-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly beat egg white with 1 tablespoon water and brush over loaves.
- Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Use a sharp knife to make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts, about 1/4-inch deep, across top of each loaf.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Brush loaves with egg white mixture.
- Continue baking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 190 degrees F (88 degrees C) or loaves sound hollow when tapped, 15 to 20 minutes more. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
- Remove loaves from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.
Thank you,
Glenda Charlie and David Cates
