BAGUETTE HEAVEN!

About a month ago I was shopping in Harris Farm Markets and I came across a bigger range of gluten free breads than they used to stock. One in particular caught my eye - a baguette! There were two in a pack, and they were a decent size (especially for something that is gluten free!) and were just under $10. Having had so many bad-bread experiences in the past I am always hesitant about forking out the money to try a new brand. I put a pack in my trolley, walked around for a bit, then returned the pack to the shelf. The thought of the anticipation of biting through the crunchy crust of French baguette and it being an utter disappointment was too much to handle! The idea of the baguette however was hard to erase from my memory, and over the next few weeks it kept making an appearance in my mind. That initial crunch, then the soft, warm, fluffy bread inside... would I ever be able to experience this sensation in my gluten-free existence?!

I was driving home tonight with a container full of sliced ham left over from a Christmas photo shoot at work, trying to dream up a dinner I could make from it. The baguette popped back into my thoughts. I caved. I took a quick detour via Harris Farm Markets, picked up a pack of baguettes, an avocado and some vine ripened tomatoes. As soon as I got home I heated the oven to 200ºC, cut one of the baguettes in half, put it (impatiently) in the oven for 10 minutes while the house filled with the that wonderful bread aroma. Once my timer sounded I cautiously opened the oven and removed the baguette, nervous to touch it and it not feel crunchy. 'Tap, tap'... ooh, that is a good sound! I then cut into it with my bread knife, little flecks of crust flew off and the sound was just divine. I filled it with my ham, avocado and tomato and finished it off with a generous dose of ground pepper, took a quick snap of it, and then apprehensively bit in. YUM!! I don't know if it's because I have been deprived of gluten for so long that it tasted just like a 'normal' baguette, or if it was just really darn good! I will have to try it out on a non-GF soon and give you the verdict. In the mean time, if you are a baguette lover like me, find where your nearest Schar stockist is ASAP!!