If you’re ever in the mood for some fun, try offering rugbrød to a newly arrived French expat in Denmark.

Watch their face. Watch. Their. Face. Laugh. Repeat.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get a look of sheer horror and a firm, “Please, that is NOT bread!”

I know because I was one of them.

As a French person living in Denmark, I’ve learned to navigate the culinary landscape through a covert network of expat recommendations.

One of our most guarded secrets?

Where to find a real baguette.

Now you’re probably wondering how a baguette could not be real. Well, let me explain that by “real” we mean the kind of baguette we know and love from back home in France.

A baguette is more than just bread; it’s an act of love.

It needs no embellishments. Its crispy caramelised crust, honeycombed bread crumb, and crunchiness are a delight on their own.

My mouth still waters at the memory of lukewarm baguettes my mother would buy for our traditional « goûter » (think French afternoon tea, but with pain au chocolat instead of scones).

So integral is the baguette to French culture that UNESCO has recognised it as an intangible cultural heritage.

And in Denmark, where 8,000 French expats are constantly in pursuit of the perfect loaf, the French Embassy has launched a Danish Championship for the best baguette.

I had the fortune to attend this exciting event, hoping to discover who would become my new bestie. It turns out that it’s Sanjiv Giri from Maison d’Brød in Charlottenlund, as he won the best baguette in Denmark.

This isn’t Sanjiv’s first rodeo; he also won the top
prize in 2021 for Andersen Bakery.

But don’t fret if you’re a loyal Andersen Bakery fan;
Kazuhiro Takami-san claimed second place for them this year. Arnaud Marron from Juno the Bakery came in third, so you know the competition was fierce.

And so, dear reader, I share this well-guarded secret with you. After all, baguette is more than just food, it’s a basic human right.

I’ll conclude with a quote from Stéphanie Surrugue, the esteemed Franco-Danish DR journalist I interviewed: “A good baguette is completely necessary in life!”

Thank you, Stéphanie. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Long live the baguette!