The baguette is a long thin, crusty loaf, the name of which is derived from ‘baguette magique’, the French for magic wand. A good baguette should have a crisp, golden brown crust that will break if you push it inwards. The interior crumb (or ‘mie’ in French) should be a creamy colour with large, irregular, air holes.

The diagonal slashes in the crust provide an escape route for the carbon dioxide given off during the fermentation process as the bread bakes. They should be evenly spaced and slightly darker at the edges. The baguette should smell of toasted wheat with a moist and chewy texture and a nutty, buttery flavour.

In comparison a mass produced loaf will be a paler, straw colour. The ‘mie’ will be pure white with tiny, regular air holes and the loaf will be tasteless and dry.

Other Types of French Bread