Bouchon is the Winner of the Baguette Battle at the Sofitel LA

Photo by EDLT Photography

“How can you tell good bread is without tasting it?  Not the smell, not the look, but the sound of the crust.  Listen.  (Bread crackles) Oh, symphony of crackle.”

--Colette, Ratatouille 

 

Photo by EDLT Photography

We at Edible Skinny were recovering from our time at Burning Man (more on that later!!!) so we unfortunately missed the Baguette Battle LA 2016.  But we are delighted to announce the winner of Los Angeles’ evening of discovery of the city’s best baguette was François Hiegel of Bouchon, who has now become the official bread sponsor of Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills!

After two successful editions in New York and Miami, hundreds of Francophiles and Fine Cuisine lovers gathered this time in Los Angeles for the Baguette Battle, an evening focusing on crispy bread that crackles like a symphony. 

Sponsored by Norwegian, Île de France, Cacao Noël & Château d'Esclans, the finalists of French Morning’s readers’ poll went head-to-ahead at Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.   The coveted title of Best Baguette in Los Angeles had nine of LA’s best bakers competing for diplomas and include bakers from Bouchon (the winner), Boulangerie de Paris, Bread Lounge, Clark Street Bread, Figaro, Frogs Organic Bakery, Larder Baking Co., Pitchoun and Porto's Bakery.

Photo by EDLT Photography

Audience members from the event interacted with the bakers in the fashionably elegant Beverly Ballroom at Sofitel Los Angeles, which had been transformed into an expansive boulangerie with baguettes and breads of all sizes and flavors along with numerous options of French wine and cheese.  Event-goers were able to follow the jury's deliberations by tasting all the baguettes and breads as this Francophile evening unfurled.

Throughout the evening, seven judges had the difficult task of deciding the winners of a fiercely contested battle expertly set up for a blind taste test that judged each entry on six specific criteria, including flavor and the structure of the baguette.

French Consulate Christophe Lemoine had the honor of announcing the overall Grand Prix Award to François Hiegel of Bouchon to become the official bread provider for the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.  Antoine Winckler, Hotel Manager of Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, awarded Ran Zimon of Bread Lounge the diploma for Specialty Bread.

Photo by EDLT Photography

Sofitel Los Angeles and French Morning’s collaboration for the event embraces a deep commitment to inspiring guests and the community with French art de vivre and Gastronomy.  Additionally, the initiative represents Sofitel Los Angeles’s commitment to culturally unique experiences that reflect the brand’s founding pillars: French Culture, Gastronomy and Design.

So here’s to life being delicious, symphonies of bread crackles, and finally being able to take that perfect baguette bite.

Photo by EDLT Photography

Bánh Mí: the Classic Vietnamese Sandwich Shop Comes to Venice Beach

In the last few months a new Bánh Mì, the classic Vietnamese sandwich shop, has opened in Venice aptly named Bánh Mí (go figure…).

 

According to the wonderful world of Wikipedia, Bánh Mì is a Vietnamese term for bread.  Said bread, or more specifically the baguette, was introduced by the French during its colonial period.  The bread most commonly found in Vietnam is a single serving baguette, therefore the term Bánh Mì is synonymous with this sandwich bread.  Bánh Mì is known to be more airy than its Western counterpart, with a thinner crust making it crunchy in texture.  It goes by the street names of "Vietnamese sandwich,” "Vietnamese Po-Boy,” or “Vietnamese Hoagie.”

At the new Venice location, Bánh Mì sandwiches are served with pickled daikon & carrots, cucumber, fresh cilantro, jalapeño, country pâté spread or house-made chili mayo, and baguettes (that’s baked fresh daily).

Offerings include their most traditional Vietnamese sandwich OINK MÌ, caramelized pork belly: golden-browned shallots, garlic, country pâté spread, and the MOO MÌ, braised short ribs with  mortar-pounded chili paste, kaffir lime, lemongrass, ginger, galangal, house-made chili mayo.

I partook in the VEG MÌ, chili roasted tofu: tofu sautéed with green onion and chili oil with crunchy garlic.  Crispy, spicy, and fresh it is everything that epitomizes Bánh Mì: light crunch bread, spiciness, and a great blend of street food flavors!

Bánh Mí offers a few tables for dine in or, for those in a rush, you can take your sandwich to go crispy wrapped with their logo and twine.