Ham-and-Butter Baguette from the Sidewalks of Rue d'Ulm
A half-crusty baguette, farm butter spread generously, two fine slices of Paris ham. Nothing more. Austerity itself, but the bread must sing under the tooth and the butter barely melt.
A half-crusty baguette, farm butter spread generously, two fine slices of Paris ham. Nothing more. Austerity itself, but the bread must sing under the tooth and the butter barely melt.
You see, a truth does not need pomp to exist. Between two hours of seminar, I had neither the time nor the taste for grand tables: a half-baguette, butter, ham, and off we went to think. The only trick is not to skimp on the butter and to bite into the bread while it's still crackling—the rest is a matter of conversation. A militant eats quickly because the essential awaits elsewhere.
- •Traditional baguette — half (crispy base)
- •Semi-salted churned butter — a good knob (binder and fat)
- •Paris ham — two slices (salty garnish)
Ham-and-Butter Baguette from the Sidewalks of Rue d'Ulm
A half-crusty baguette, farm butter spread generously, two fine slices of Paris ham. Nothing more. Austerity itself, but the bread must sing under the tooth and the butter barely melt.
Why this dish? Between two seminars at the École normale supérieure on Rue d'Ulm, the student and later the hurried master does not have time for a real meal: he buys at the counter the simplest and most French sandwich there is, and eats it walking to the lecture hall.
You see, a truth does not need pomp to exist. Between two hours of seminar, I had neither the time nor the taste for grand tables: a half-baguette, butter, ham, and off we went to think. The only trick is not to skimp on the butter and to bite into the bread while it's still crackling—the rest is a matter of conversation. A militant eats quickly because the essential awaits elsewhere.
Ingredients (period version)
- Traditional baguette — half (crispy base)
- Semi-salted churned butter — a good knob (binder and fat)
- Paris ham — two slices (salty garnish)
Ingredients
- Traditional baguette — 1/2 baguette (approx. 130 g) (crispy base)
- Quality semi-salted butter — 20 g (binder and fat)
- Top-quality cooked ham — 2 thick slices (salty garnish)
Method
- Split the half-baguette lengthwise without separating completely.
- Spread the still slightly firm butter on both sides in a generous layer.
- Fold and arrange the ham slices evenly.
- Close, press lightly, eat immediately while the bread still crackles.
How it was made : The ham-and-butter baguette remained throughout the 20th century the most consumed sandwich in France, sold at every bistro and bakery counter. It was the meal of the worker, the student, and the hurried intellectual: cheap, immediate, available everywhere in Paris during the Trente Glorieuses.
The contemporary twist : Choose a labeled traditional baguette, AOP farm butter, and artisan ham: simplicity pushed to excellence, a 'minimalist manifesto' style.
Alain Badiou · Charactorium