学进去

   Food is a kind of culture. It’s a nation’s memory and pride. The famous French baguette (长棍面包) is one of their memories and prides. French people think it should be protected. “It is much more than just a kind of bread. It is a symbol of France—it’s like the Eiffel Tower,” said Dominigue Anract, president of the Confederation of French Bakers.

So it’s no wonder that a group of French cooks want the baguette to become a form of intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) listed by UNESCO. French culture leaders have given a suggestion to the country’s president.

UNESCO’s intangible heritage list aims to protect culture from the influence of the world. Cooks in France believe that if the baguette is on the list, it will be better protected. The list already includes Belgian beer and Neapolitan pizza.

The baguette has been protected by law since 1993. The law says the bread must be made with only the following things: water, wheat flour, yeast and salt. The flour should be fermented (发酵) for I5 to 20 hours at a certain temperature. This strict rule makes the food special and delicious.

Six million baguettes are sold every day in France. However, as supermarkets continue to take over, tens of thousands of shops have closed since the 1950s. “The first thing we ask of a child is to go buy a baguette,” Anract said. “We think it important to protect these habits.”