Food glossary

Baguette, aka a French stick

Baguette

Also known as a French stick, a baguette is easily recognisable by its classic long, thin distinctive shape, which makes it one of the most widely-known types of bread. It has a characteristic crispy crust with a large, open and quite chewy texture. Waitrose stock a variety of baguettes including:

Artisan

A fresh baguette finished with a criss-cross pattern and dusted with flour. 400g Artisan baguettes are sold in Waitrose.

Organic white

A classic white fresh baguette made using organic ingredients.

Small white

A half-size fresh baguette made with French wheat and yeast.

Ready-to-bake

A part-baked crusty white bread made with French flour.

Uses: Cut into chunks and serve with a selection of cheeses and fruits. Split and fill with your favourite sweet or savoury filling. Split horizontally, top with cheese and cook under a preheated grill until golden brown, serve with cherry tomatoes or tomato relish. Serve slices of baguette to accompany a wide variety of starters or main courses such as salads, soups, pasta dishes or meat and fish dishes.

To store:
Keep in a cool, dry place. Fresh baguettes should be eaten within 24 hours of purchase. Ready-to-bake baguettes should be baked within 2 days of opening and before the best before date. Ready-to-bake baguettes are suitable for home freezing, freeze on the day of purchase and use within 1 month.

To cook:
To cook ready-to-bake baguettes, remove all the packaging. Place on a baking tray and cook in the top of a preheated oven at 220°C, gas mark 7 for 7-9 minutes. Turn halfway through cooking time. Leave to stand for 4-5 minutes before serving. If baking from frozen allow a further 2-3 minutes.