My Kingdom for a Decent Baguette
On the hunt for good baguettes in Columbus, plus where to find delicious local sweets for Valentine's Day.
My Kingdom for a Decent Baguette
By Erin Edwards
In 2008, I had the chance to live in Paris for a few months while working in the International Herald Tribune newsroom. Although my French was (and still is) extremely poor, at least it was good enough for me to order from the local boulangeries and patisseries.
In other words, I’m a sucker for traditional French baguettes and all the Parisian memories they conjure up.
To me, Columbus is a bit of a baguette desert. If you’ve ever had a true French baguette, you know grocery store versions are an abomination: too light in color, exterior too soft, interior too flavorless, too many additives, the crumb all wrong and so forth.
In France, traditional baguettes are regulated by law—1993’s Décret Pain (something that would surely never fly in the U.S.). The law says that only four ingredients are allowed in a traditional baguette: flour, salt, water and yeast (leavening agent). Baguettes must be baked on the premises where they are sold and never frozen.
Baguettes are meant to be simple, and yet they are notoriously fiddly. As baker Jeff Yankellow, the director of bakery foodservice sales at King Arthur, puts it: “baguettes can be ego-crushers” to new bakers starting out.
Maybe that’s one reason why we don’t see many around town: These long-and-skinny, tapered wands of bread are just too damn intimidating.
Though it was around for only five years, people still mourn the loss of Laughlin’s Bakery, which closed in January 2020.
There was a lot to miss: There were baker Jonas Laughlin’s tea cakes, lemon madelines, scones and dried fruit and nut bread (a Foodletter favorite). Easter always meant the anticipation of his adorable lamb cakes and hot cross buns. And some folks I talk to regard Laughlin’s French baguettes as the best to pass through Columbus, maybe ever.
The good news is that we do have several bakeries (though still too few) making solid baguettes, including newcomer Littleton’s Market Bakery inside North Market Downtown. Littleton’s currently makes a traditional baguette in addition to an “everything” pain d'epi.
Recently, I stopped by Littleton’s bakery to speak with head baker Desi Vasquez, who told me that the bakery is increasing its baguette production “quite a bit” thanks to demand.
She also let me observe her team of bakers as they took blobs of pale, fermented dough (they use King Arthur flour, btw) and, using the heels of their hands, adroitly shaped them into tapered sticks.
“I would argue that the baguette is the hardest thing to shape. No one thinks that. They think it should be the easiest and simplest,” Vasquez says.
Vasquez, who used to train teams of bakers for Whole Foods, says that observing the Littleton’s team as they shape baguettes can tell her a lot about how bakers are progressing in their technique in general. It can also indicate how their day is going.
"[Shaping baguettes] is a good gauge of where your body is, where your shoulders are. If you're, like, super tense,” she says. “You really have to make sure that your posture is centered. Make sure your shoulders are aligned. I always like to keep my hands nice and parallel to the table.”
“It becomes a muscle memory thing. But it really is like learning a yoga practice,” she adds.
Once the dough is shaped, it’s placed in a "couche" (a thick, unbleached canvas cloth) to rest. Vasquez says the dough is then baked “hot and fast” in Littleton’s “big, beautiful hearth oven” at roughly 510 degrees for about 18-20 minutes.
In addition to Littleton’s, below are three more bakery-made baguettes to seek out. Let us know which ones you prefer in the comments.
Recently nominated for a James Beard Award in the Outstanding Bakery category, Dan the Baker’s take on a French baguette isn’t traditional nor is it frequently available. Best known for his sourdough breads, baker/owner Dan Riesenberger sticks with sourdough for his beautifully shaped, very crusty baguette. Stay tuned for when his bacon baguette—you read that right—makes a special reappearance soon. Dan the Baker is open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and baguettes are only available Friday through Sunday.
Jessica Sanders’ cottage bakery, which focuses on rustic breads and pastries, has impressed us on the farmers market circuit and with her nicely crisp baguette. You can find Sanders at the Clintonville Farmers Market, which returns in April. Sanders also delivers baguettes to Beechwold Farm Market weekly. (Be sure to call ahead or check Sonflour’s Instagram for updates.)
We were very happy to see this bakery dedicated to bread open recently in the former Three Bites Bakery space at 999 Mount Vernon Ave. Yawning Bear’s rustic baguette employs more whole grain wheat than you may find in a traditional baguette. It’s also shorter and more plump. (Be sure to check out Yawning Bear’s outstanding focaccia, too.) The bakery’s hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Gifts for Food Lovers
Where to Find Valentine’s Desserts and Sweet Treats
By Bethia Woolf
There are countless opportunities to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Columbus, but we wanted to highlight how a few of our favorite providers of sweet treats plan to tempt you on February 14.
Helen’s Heavenly
Helen Peng is a baker based in Athens who creates beautiful desserts for some of our favorite restaurants, including Jiu Thai Asian Cafe. This Valentine’s Day, she will have gorgeous desserts available at 698 Restaurant in the Short North and Song Lan Restaurant in Dublin—perfect if your Valentine’s date is a sushi lover, too! You can follow Helen’s Heavenly on Instagram @helens.heavenly.
Pistacia Vera
There’s nowhere in Columbus I associate more with dessert than Pistacia Vera, and the German Village patisserie has several tempting Valentine’s Day specials this year. For the decadent dessert lover, I’d suggest the mini chocolate bombe, made with chocolate cake, chocolate mousse and ganache. For something simpler, try the rose petal and vanilla bean shortbread. Rose petals also make an appearance in the strawberry rose almond bostock, a brioche with strawberry rose marmalade and almond frangipane. Last but not least, you’ll find a mini strawberry tart with strawberry preserves, vanilla bean custard, and fresh strawberries. View the menu here.
Mjomii Dessert & Coffee House
While not strictly a Valentine’s item, I’d be delighted to receive an Ispahan macaron cake from Mjomii. Available in three sizes, these raspberry macaron shells are sandwiched with vanilla rose crème anglaise and decorated with fresh raspberries and freeze-dried edible rose petals. Pre-order is recommended for the larger cakes. View the menu here.
Shepard Baking Co.
Pastry chef Amanda Shepard is offering a variety of Valentine’s treats for pre-order, available for pickup in Clintonville on Feb. 13 and 14. Pre-orders close today! Options include:
A Valentine’s Day box with an assortment of cookies and truffles
Black raspberry truffles
Raspberry hazelnut linzer hearts
Shepard is also partnering with Blumegeist, a local flower grower, so you can pick up some tulips along with your treats. View the menu here.
Belle’s Bread
If you need an excuse for dessert at breakfast on Valentine’s Day, the Sweetheart Danish from Belle’s Bread fits the bill. This heart-shaped Danish pastry is filled with vanilla custard, raspberry purée and chocolate ganache.
Lohcally Artisan Chocolates
For the chocolate lover, a trip to Powell for one of Lohcally’s heart-shaped boxes of truffles (available in two sizes) might be the perfect way to your Valentine’s heart. Explore Lohcally’s chocolates here.
Sweet Ghost
Another option for artisan chocolate is the local confectioner Sweet Ghost, which will be popping up at the North Market Downtown on Valentine’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also find their products at local markets and grocers around town.
I was remiss to not mention that baguettes are great for playing limbo and making your nieces and nephews laugh. I know at least a few readers who can relate.
Another two sources of legit baguettes are Granville Bread Company (they are often available at Littletons) and Crust + Crumb (Worthington Farmers Market and elsewhere)