FRENCH BAGUETTE GETS UNESCO HERITAGE STATUS
Traditional tea making in China and a Korean mask dance known as ‘talchum’ have been added to Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list.
Both of these were joined by the humble baguette. The bread, from French origins, is still popular today as it’s said that there are in the region of 16 million baguettes produced per day.
According to Unesco chief Audrey Asoulay, the inclusion of the bread onto the list “celebrates the French way of life”.
“It is important that these skills and social habits continue to exist in the future.”
French President Emmanuel Macron has been campaigning to add the baguette to the list for years. He believes the baguette is “envied around the world”. After its inclusion was announced, Macron stated that the baguette is “250 grams of magic and perfection in our daily lives”.
The BBC reports that the baguette as we know it today was only officially named just over 100 years ago, in 1920. It was then that strict rules about what classed as a baguette were put in place – standardized at 80cm and 250g. It even had a fixed price until 1986.
Its origin has many people confused as some believe the bread was ordered by Napoleon while others credit an Austrian baker for its shape.
Image credit: All Recipes