Group shooting for the Fondant Vierzonnais which is rewarded in the three categories: craftsman, worker and apprentice. In France, the traditional baguette is an art: ” We note the appearance, the honeycombing of the crumb in particular “ specifies Romain Dagot, member of the jury. ” Crumb color, taste, smell and doneness are evaluated. The crumb must be creamy, not too white otherwise it means that it has been kneaded too much. It must be very shiny. Each company has its methods, its touch, and that’s what makes the difference. “ And this baker from Neuvy-Pailloux knows what he is talking about: he finished 3rd in the national competition in 2016. The best, this year in the Cher, is Bruno Chatelain, owner of the fondant Vierzonnais. For him, a good wand also means giving him time to grow: ” It matures for twenty-four hours. We allow time for the bread, the taste and the aromas to develop. “ In the worker category, the fondant from Vierzon also finished first, and third in the apprentice category. A very nice result.
– Michael Benoit
A farmer from Lugny-Bourbonnais, east of Bourges, is also delighted: Quentin Pointereau created Epitoué flour (a word from the Berrichon patois) with which this bakery works: ” This price means that the baker works well, but that the farmer is not too bad either. And flour is not bad! We are really in a short circuit. We deliver to around thirty bakeries in Cher, Indre, Loiret and Nièvre. We work in sustainable agriculture. It’s been two years since we created our flour. the wheat is crushed right in the center of Bourges, at the Moulin de la Chappe, a mill that is several centuries old. So we’re very proud too. ” The hardest part remains for Bruno Chatelain: winning the regional final. In the category of best croissant is the chestnut pastry shop in Bourges who won the first regional prize.