Le pain Poilâne is the most well known bread in Paris. Ironically, it is not a baguette, but rather a round and rustic sourdough loaf. Even if Poilâne isn’t a family’s local boulangerie, or bakery (which is the case for the majority of people), everyone has had Poilâne. It is served in many bistros and restaurants, most often as the base bread for tartines. I also feel that in some ways Poilâne is very representative of the essence of French boulangeries. It is a family business passed down from generation to generation and operates under the philosophy of tradition and quality. Although the small shop has now grown into a worldwide business (they export to at least 11 different countries), everything, except the kneading, is done by hand.
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