PASSIONATE RATIONS

How fortuitous that CNN should choose April 20 to run a story on the best boulangeries in Paris, which includes a listing for Poilâne.

Two days prior to the running of their story, I found myself in the food section of Berlin’s massive KaDeWe department store contemplating an enormous round Poilâne loaf.  Specifically, I was trying to figure out how to translate into German a question to the bakery clerk involving whether she would consider it sacrilege to cut into and sell me only, say, a quarter of the behemoth loaf.  After some miscommunications, rectified by my German-speaking mother-in-law, we happily left the store laden with the quarter round.

Rarely have I felt so decadent.  The anticipation itself was delicious.

Before I get to the actual breaking of the bread, let me note that I owe my discovery of Poilâne entirely to my spouse, who recently bought a book entitled “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice” by Peter Reinhart.  In it, the author shares the secrets he learned apprenticing at several of France’s famed boulangeries, including Poilâne.  My spouse shared with me some of the author’s observations prior to our trip and was the one who noticed the loaf as we browsed one of KaDeWe’s multiple bakery sections.  Our excitement at seeing that one of the celebrated loaves had immigrated to Berlin could hardly be contained.

This was no lightweight bread.  Even a quarter round weighted the bag with its substance.  A whole is two kilos.  Dusted all over with a tan-colored flour on the outside, it was not interested in being subtle; cutting into it left dust everywhere.  Its crust was an earthy brown and hard, its innards soft and chewy.  I had expected it to be a white bread, but its interior was darker than anticipated, hearty.  Best of all, it tasted exactly like what I think bread should taste like, but never does.  And this, I think, must be the basis of its reputation.

Too bad CNN didn’t mention where to get one closer to home….