splishsplash Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 LES ULIS, France — When their local bakery in thistown south of Paris raised the price of a baguette for the third timein six months, Anne-Laure Renard and Guy Talpot bought a bread maker.When gasoline became their biggest single expense, they sold one oftheir two cars. J. B. Russell for the International Herald TribuneAnne-Laure Renard, a teacher, and Guy Talpot, a postal worker, sold onecar and bought a bread maker to cut expenses. Prices have risen fourtimes as fast as salaries in France in the last year. Their combined annual incomeof 40,000 euros, about $62,500, lands Ms. Renard, a teacher, and Mr.Talpot, a postal worker, smack in the middle of France’s middle class.And over the last year, prices in France have risen four times as fastas their salaries. At the end of every month, they blow pasttheir bank account’s $900 overdraft limit, plunging themselves deeperinto a spiral of greater resourcefulness and regret.“In France,when you can’t afford a baguette anymore, you know you’re in trouble,”Ms. Renard said one recent evening in her kitchen, as her partnermeasured powdered milk for their 13-month-old son, Vincent. “The FrenchRevolution started with bread riots.” I wish I had their income! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I wish I had their income too!Double income and an overdraft and they still can't manage... [blink]Edit:[quote]En 2005, le revenu fiscal moyen des ménages lotois s’élève à 26 500 €.La moitié des 71 300 ménages fiscaux perçoivent un revenu annuel inférieur à 22 000 €. Les écarts de revenus sont parmi les plus faibles de la région. Ainsi, 10 % des ménages les plus pauvres ont un revenu annuel inférieur à 7 600 € alors que les 10 % les plus aisés perçoivent plus de 48 400 €. Source [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassis Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 She could perhaps save some money by breast feeding. [I] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 LET THEM EAT CAKE!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 [quote user="cassis"]She could perhaps save some money by breast feeding. [I][/quote][:-))]These poor people! [:'(]Reduced to making their own bread...[:'(] and I bet that in their area, there is only one baker and no supermarket... I mean, any town outside of Paris is just "la France profonde", isn't it...These poor people! [:'(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 [quote user="splishsplash"]Anne-Laure Renard, a teacher,[/quote]And, AFAIAA, teachers receive mutuelle cover for themselves and their children really, really cheaply - at least the teacher who used to live next door to us did for herself and her 2 children.[quoteuser="splishsplash"]I wish I had their income![/quote]Gosh, I am not usually someone given to envy but ...On the other hand they probably have a huge mortgage ... whereas we just have the rent to pay.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 So what is the current price of a baguette in France ? I paid 89p for a second rate one here in the UK yesterday.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 [quote user="Hoddy"]So what is the current price of a baguette in France ? I paid 89p for a second rate one here in the UK yesterday. [/quote]Second rate ones are about 80 cents - well they are here in S Morbihan, good quality baguettes are about 1 euro 5 cents and a wholemeal or bran loaf - 300 grammes - are about 1 euro 40.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I haven't bought any for ages... I am so so poor I have to make my own... [:(]Leclerc were selling one at €0.67 last week according to this: http://www.lesprixducoin.com/33300-bordeaux/50/produit/662512/prix-baguette-1.html, but the price would depend on which type (moulée, à l'ancienne, complète...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splishsplash Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 Good French bread is one of the last things I would give up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueyh Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 We make our own but a baguette at Intermarche is 80 cents. However in the Var, at Leclerc near Montauroux we only paid 35 cents per baguette. Moins cher!Sueyps you really can't equate a UK bought baguette to a real french baguette. No similarity at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Sorry - we'd happily give up the french baguette - save a fortune on dental work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 How much do you save making your own bread ? We make our own bread but it's because we like it and like to know what is in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 [quote user="Russethouse"]How much do you save making your own bread ? We make our own bread but it's because we like it and like to know what is in it.[/quote]If you buy a cheap bread-maker (€35 at Lidl) and ready-mixed packs (€0.95 for 2 breads at Lidl), it can work out quite cheap.I buy local flour in 5kg bags for €5.80 (€1.16/kg), from which I can make around 15-18 loaves, add the dry yeast at around €1.75 for 15-18 loaves, plus salt and electricity, that brings a basic loaf at around €0.55.I bake at home because the village baker is not worthy of the title, because I like to experiment and most of all because I enjoy it [:)]. Saving money comes way down the list![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 [quote user="Scooby"]Sorry - we'd happily give up the french baguette - save a fortune on dental work!! [/quote]That's my attitude too Scooby, I can't chew a baguette without getting a sore mouth. And like Clair, I enjoy baking. I buy imported english flour so mine isn't cheap. But I make it by hand 4 or 5 loaves at a time.I wouldn't mind giving up the car too, if there was public transport around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I am with you on this Scooby...baguete too hard....go off to fast then later you have to damp down the things and pop them in the oven to try and revive them .....Easier to buy a boule and get the baker to run it through the slicer ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 We usually buy the pain de campagne - lasts much longer and not so hard on the old nashers (especially with the current cost of dental repairs!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 These sort of stories are funny but the other side is that people in America may well read them and think them true.The only thing I have found that has been up and down price wise is diesel. Our bread has gone up once in 8 years by a couple of cents. Our local tax's have gone up by just under 2% this year as has electricity which I think has only gone up once in the last 5 years. The thing is Americans thinking of coming to France for a holiday will first be hit by the exchange rate and then think that the prices have gone up by extreme amounts and simply not bother coming. Mind you the English papers have come out with some outrageous comments about France over the recent years as well (The French having their electricity subsidised by the high prices charged by EDF in the UK comes to mind as a starter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenniswitch Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 [quote user="Quillan"]These sort of stories are funny but the other side is that people in America may well read them and think them true.The only thing I have found that has been up and down price wise is diesel. Our bread has gone up once in 8 years by a couple of cents. Our local tax's have gone up by just under 2% this year as has electricity which I think has only gone up once in the last 5 years. The thing is Americans thinking of coming to France for a holiday will first be hit by the exchange rate and then think that the prices have gone up by extreme amounts and simply not bother coming. Mind you the English papers have come out with some outrageous comments about France over the recent years as well (The French having their electricity subsidised by the high prices charged by EDF in the UK comes to mind as a starter).[/quote]Nah, Americans are much more focused on the exchange rate and what's going on with the US economy. There will be fewer Americans travelling to Europe this year, but it won't be because they're worried about French inflation. It will be because they're worried about the US recession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 [quote user="suein56"][quote user="splishsplash"]Anne-Laure Renard, a teacher,[/quote]And, AFAIAA, teachers receive mutuelle cover for themselves and their children really, really cheaply - at least the teacher who used to live next door to us did for herself and her 2 children.[quoteuser="splishsplash"]I wish I had their income![/quote]Gosh, I am not usually someone given to envy but ...On the other hand they probably have a huge mortgage ... whereas we just have the rent to pay.Sue[/quote]Dont forget also that the poor dear has to work 18 hours a week, there are no part time teaching jobs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Found the original article in the NYT, dated 1st May 2008: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/business/worldbusiness/... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Do you have trouble filling your time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Anything to avoid Richard Hammond on BBC2 [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Who? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Interesting thread........We also make all our own bread: mainly to avoid the awful chemical muck in the flour and finished product. asa well as the appalling taste!Breadmaker?All done by hand.Using organic stone milled flour and mainly now, sourdough. Pure flour and water makes the organism (culture) which is used as the leaven.Also just been experimenting with yeast from beer brewing; what's left after the must has fermented. Just made a batch of soft rolls using Crouch Vale IPA residue: fantastic! Now growing a culture from this for the future.You can see some of it here: http://s461.photobucket.com/albums/qq332/PercyPee/Sourdough/?start=0Some used fresh Baker's Yeast: some used an Italian style Biga starter. Mainly now I use only sourdough starter, 'cos like one or two have already said, I know precisely what's in it!Made a batch yesterday, sourdough starter "Sponge" made night before. Wholemeal and 15% Rye: comes from the best millers in UK; they use best organic rye grain and mill gently and slowly, using old French millstones: roller milling makes the grain far too hot and changes the composition of the flour.To its detriment.http://www.bacheldremill.co.uk/flourproducts.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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