First the good news. It's do-able. I have a friend who is a flight attendant for a carrier-we-shallnot-name who regularly brought bread back from Paris.

The bad news is that most French bread is made to be consumed within hours of its gestation. That's why you see people walking home from work with a baguette tucked under their arm.

I'd be happy to hear other comments & ideas here.

Depending on where you are flying home to, but I know in Miami the dogs will sniff it out and you'll have to throw it away. Only fully packaged food products are allowed.

I don't know of any mean to keep it fresh ...keeping it at cold temperature can help, but I can't see how you could do that on a plane.

You'll very seldom find in Paris (and even in the countryside, though you'd have a slightly better chance) a standard bread which stay somewhat fresh for more than 1 day.

Some very rare bakeries make bread with heavy crumb that can be preserved longer (up to some days), but apart from buying bread in dozens of different places and knowing exactly what you're searching for, I see no way you could find them.

You could probably buy some special breads which fit the bill, but it'll not be the typical stuff.

Honnestly I would advise you to apreciate it (assuming that you'll actually apreciate it)while you're here, and forget about the hassle of trying to bring it back fresh, freeze it, etc...

This is why I always pack zip-lock bags wherever I travel. I've brought croissants (but not baguette) back both times I've been to Paris, and they were still good enough to remind me of where I'd been two days later - they don't keep much past that (unless frozen). Not sure how baguette would survive, but worth a try . . . and I've not had any problem w/bread being confiscated at customs. I think it's only fresh meats (and possibly produce) they're after, but you can check the USDA website for specific exclusions. Does anyone know if you can bring cheese back into the US?

Thanks for all of your help. I think we may try to bring back a few croissants in ziplocs (we may end up eating them on the way home!!!!)

For those who had other questions regarding what kinds of foods can be brought back, i looked on the USDA website and found this listing helpful:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/bring.html

Harriett: Apparently, fully cured cheeses are ok. That might be tricky to take back though, if it needs to stay refrigerated.

Also, Patrick, they say it's ok to bring back breads, so I don't know why it would get confiscated (unless there were some meat products in it?). We are flying back into New York, but then we will be taking a separate flight to Miami, so I was kind of concerned.

Again, thanks for all of your help!

Oh: if anyone has any ideas about what kinds of foods are good to take home as souvenirs, I'd appreciate that too!

Gallon size ziplocks, buy baguette the morning you leave, break the baguette in halves or thirds to fit into the bags. If the bread is still warm, the crust gets soggy but put it in a medium oven to crisp up. If bread is not hot, it gets hard as a rock. Get a brown paper bag, sprinkle inside of bag with few drips of water (or spritz with a mister), put bread inside, place in medium oven until bread is heated through and softened up a bit. Store UNWRAPPED bread in the freezer, warm up in a medium oven (under NO circumstances should you use the microwave). Baguettes don't last long because they are very dry breads (water/flour/yeast); some of the specialty breads that have butter or other oils last longer because they hold their moisture better.

No way to bring back a baguette.
Try with croissants, pain au chocolat and pan viennoise (kind of challah bread- but better)

A cold baguette could be considered a dangerous weapon, much like a nightstick ; )

I brought back some honey from my last trip to Provence - and my family can't wait for me to go again. None of us ever tasted anything remotely like it. It was not only delicious, but also cheap (I bought several jars in a market town).

France is the most "overseas" visited country in the world. The total economic activity associated with travel into and out of France - - airfares, hotels, buying new wardrobes and so on - - accounts for something like 84% of all international currency exchange.

If you could get REAL, FRESH French bread in other continents by simply packing it up onto an airplane, half of the travel to France would grind to a halt, and the many of the world's economies would collapse.

Please stop posting such dangerous thoughts like this here.

For those living in/passing through/visiting New York City, you might be interested to know that Pan Poilane is flown in and sold at Dean & Deluca on Broadway at Price in Soho. On the other hand, if you want awesome Italian pugliese (and other Italian breads), head to Sullivan St. Bakery on (duh!) Sullivan St. in Soho. Oh yeah, we have a Fauchon outlet now too, as well as Maison du Chocolat, both of which fly goods a few times a week. I understand Fauchon has an all-chocolate afternoon tea...

I would be surprised if they confiscated bread; I know you can bring back hard cheese (not soft) and chocolate and nuts, as I've done it and declared it at customs (actually, I declared it because the line for food declarations has no one in it whereas the line for people without anything was about 20 people, so I got through quicker). When I am in Paris longterm and buying groceries, I cannot even much stand to keep bread or croissants longer than a day in Paris when I buy them at a local boulangerie where they are fresh (buying croissants in the afternoon for the next morning's breakfast is tolerable, but not much), so I personally would not judge it worthwhile at all to bring back bread or croissants. I don't like running out to the bakery in the morning before breakfast, so it's sort of a pain, actually; I'm not sure what French people do for breakfast if they want fresh goods, do they all run out to the boulangerie and then back home? I'm not a morning person. Frankly, a lot of baguettes in Paris are not what they used to be in quality, some in supermarkets are not very good at all, and some are even being made from pre-mixed dough that is refrigerated or frozen, I believe. I don't know where you live, but a big city should have a good French bakery with a product superior to the stale baguettes you would bring back on a plane. I'm picky about bread, though, as I said, I can tell the diff. in quality between various bakeries in Paris.

Christina: Where are the really good ones?

We are also leaving for France in the near future. I am looking forward to enjoying the products of the boulangeries, as bread in it's many forms and flavors is one of my absolute favorite things to eat. We currently enjoy the products of a local brick-oven bakery, and I have stumbled on to a way to restore a day-old loaf to pristine flavor and texture. It sounds bizarre, but here's how to do it:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Do not cut or slice bread.
Simply douse the whole loaf under the

(Sorry about the 2 part message, the server timed out before the entire message was sent.)
So:
First, as soon as you purchase the bread, place loaf in a plastic bag to maintain it's moisture. Remove from the bag when ready to heat.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Do not cut or slice the loaf.
Quickly douse the entire loaf under running water from the kitchen sink. It should be evenly moist but not soaked or soggy.
Place bare, moistened loaf on rack in the oven.
Bake for 5 minutes.
The result is a crispy fragile crust that breaks or cuts easily, and the
inside of the loaf will be moist, soft and hot.
This method works well for any crusty bread product, i.e., bagels, hard rolls, baguettes, or boules; regular or sour dough.
I would suggest that you try the method on a local loaf, just to see how well it works for you.
We also plan to bring home a souvenir
loaf or two in order to recall our wonderful stay in France.

Bonappetit, mon cheri!

Hey, Bonappetite: never tried it, but it sounds good. I've always had great luck wetting a clean dish towel, wringing it out, wrapping the bread in it and microwaving for about 1 minute (depending on the quantity).

People will hate me, but I must admit that although I love fresh bread, and make it a lot at home, the wrapped bread I find in French supermarkets keeps weeks and is delicious -- brioche and various other rolls and loaves.

But the sticks are to be consumed within hours!

Doug

We had an very interesting experience bringing bread back from Paris a number of years ago. We boarded the plane with one large baguette and as bad luck would have it there was a long flight delay for reasons I do not remember. Well, we were there for a while in the plane without food waiting and waiting. We also compounded the situation by only having a small continental breakfast so by 2PM we were getting a little hungry. Needless to say the bread never made the US but we and a few folks in neighboring seats were fine. It certainly broke the ice with our fellow passengers.
I suppose the moral of the story is to take a baguette or whatever on the plane with you. It will taste great on the ride home.

P.S. I agree with earlier posts that the bread should be eaten promptly. Alas it does not age well.

I have found that if one will first buy a nice supply of Haggis In A Tube (available at all better food shops), it can be squeezed out and used to encase the French bread. This will ensure that the bread, wrapped in the Haggis, will remain fresh and tasty for an indefinite time, as no air can penetrate the Haggis.

Good news UK bread lovers, I just read an article in Time-Out about the French bread company Poilane opening up a bread franchise in London(Elizabeth Street),,,,they said their sourdough(which I love) can keep a week,,,,we will see...I intend to bring some home from London next week when I go...I REALLY love good bread!!!
Judy :-0

Author: Bill (xxx@xxx.com)
Date: 03/21/2002, 04:31 pm
Message: My family of 4 (kids 14/11) will be in Paris this June and we're staying at the Hotel Grandes Ecoles in Paris's Latin Quarter (just east of the Pantheon and between the Cardinal Lemoine and Place Monge subway stops).

I'd be interested in hearing any recommendations you might have regarding dining in the area. We probably are looking for lower to moderate priced places that would have great atmosphere and good food that would appeal to adults and kids.

If you know of great bakeries, bars or other types of establishments that would be great too.

As always your advice is appreciated.


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Author: elaine (elavine1051@yahoo.com)
Date: 03/21/2002, 05:03 pm
Message: Hi
I just brought to near the top of the list on the left (temporarily)for you
the similar topic titled
"Simpler Meals in Paris"
Just scroll down a bit and you'll see it


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Author: Statia (burright@goldenrock.net)
Date: 03/21/2002, 05:56 pm
Message: I can't remember the name of it, but there is an alleyway in Paris in the Latin Quarter with lots of restaurants geared towards tourists. They have fixed price menus in English and we found the restaurants in this area to be very affordable.

It's also a good area for people watching and is bustling at dining times.
Another thread running, but thought it should go here for bread lovers?

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Author: Nikki (justback@home.now)
Date: 03/23/2002, 12:20 pm
Message: The bakery Maison Kayser at 8, Rue Monge, always had a line out the door, which is what attracted me to it. Wonderful croissants and pain au chocolat, the bread looked terrific, and I had a great fruit tart. Sunday morning the families coming out of the church across the street came and lined up for bread and pastries.

Frm Wendy: Nikki is right!
We loved meeting Eric Kayser and right now he is one of the 'up and coming' and respected bakers in Paris right now... he actually has two bakeries on the same street, a few street numbers apart, number 8 (conventioanl bakery and cake shop)and number 14 (19th century shop for organic and traditonal 'ancienne' recipes)...one specializes in Organic breads, and the other in viennoiseries. We took a tour of the back kitchens and I've never seen such 'pride' taken in work being done! Everything they have is tasty fresh and fabulous. He told us that 'bread is like wine, so many characteristics bring out it's personality, with different results every day, and the aromas and tastes are what I want to share" ... his wife is from Brittany and the two of them playfully compete over whose 'regional' breads and traditional recipes are best...they even label these in the store...with a bread/cake/tart named half from her region and the other half named from his... worth the trip definitely! Like BritParis, or ancienne modern...

Bon Appetit!
~Wendy~

I brought back a loaf of Poilane (rue du Cherche Midi)once, and it wasn't very good. I bought it the day before i left, so it was already a day old when it made the trip. Maybe stop by bakery on way to CDG!

Baggue-ette-cha, one more time.

Christina, I agree. The quality of baguettes in Paris has noticeably gone down-hill and it is just as easy to be served an uninspired baguette as an excellent one at restaurants. I would think freezing would work, but hard to manage. Rather than bringing French bread home, seek out the best bakery near where you live. You should be able to find a good baguette in most major American cities. In fact, isn't having good baguettes one of the requirements for a major city?

Even our little Pacific outpost of Honolulu has LaBrea breads. St. Germain bakery makes excellent baguettes. The rest of their patisserie however is not up to french standards. And granted we do not have an excellent bakery at every corner. But we have the beautiful Pacific and the smell of plumerias year round. And Costco has buttery croissants that when crisped in the oven are quite passable and just right with a cafe au lait while reading travel magazines. I just have to make a point of working off those butter fat calories like I do on vacation.

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