Hey Reader!

I'm writing this from Moulins Foricher in France after what feels like a whirlwind couple of days.

This trip has been in partnership with The Gourmet Vacation to lead a bakery and food tour through Paris and a masterclass at the mill. We visited some of my favourite bakeries, pastry shops, markets, and restaurants, and ate an amount of butter that probably shouldn't be discussed publicly.

We also had the incredibly talented William Torrillo join us to document the journey. William is a National Geographic published photographer, and he's captured some amazing moments from the trip. I'll share more photos and stories next week, but if you'd like a sneak peek, you can check out his Instagram here:

​[Check out more of the trip on William Torrillo's Instagram]​

As much as I've loved exploring Paris (I'll share some of my fave spots next week), this week has been all about the mill. We've been baking at Moulins Foricher, touring the mill, visiting wheat fields, and learning alongside MOF baker Alexandre Laumain. My brain is full, my notebook is overflowing, and I'm already looking forward to sharing some of the lessons and photos with you next week.

As incredible as this experience has been, I have to admit I'm really missing Jody, Juniper, and Frankie. Baking in France is pretty special, but there's still nothing better than being home with the people you love.

For now, I'm running on very little sleep, a lot of coffee, and entirely too many baguettes.

Speaking of baguettes...

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A Quick Note From France 🇫🇷

Back in 2020, I started chatting with Vincent from Moulins Foricher about the possibility of visiting France and learning more about their flour, their mill, and their approach to baking. At the time, it felt like one of those conversations that might happen "someday."

This week, someday finally arrived.

Over the past three days, I've had the opportunity to bake alongside my good friend MOF baker Alexandre Laumain and an incredible group of bakers from around the world. We mixed dough, shaped loaves, talked fermentation, compared techniques, and shared ideas from morning until evening.

One of the highlights was seeing just how connected everything is. We toured the mill, visited the fields where the wheat is grown less than ten minutes away, and followed the journey from grain to flour to finished bread. It's a reminder that great baking starts long before we mix the dough.

What impressed me most, though, was the people. Everyone arrived with different experiences and skill levels, but by the end of the workshop, every baker had improved. The questions got better, the techniques became more refined, and the confidence in the room grew with every bake.

I'm writing this after a long day, covered in flour and running on very little sleep, but feeling incredibly grateful for the experience and the people who made it possible.

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Why I'm Excited About Baguettes Right Now 🥖

After spending the last three days baking in France with MOF baker Alexandre Laumain, it's safe to say I've had baguettes on my mind.

One of the things I appreciated most about Alexandre's teaching was his attention to detail. The small things matter. Fermentation, shaping, scoring, baking each step builds on the last. Watching him work was a great reminder that there is always something new to learn, no matter how long you've been baking.

It's also fitting that I'm writing this from France. In 2022, the traditional French baguette was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, recognizing its importance to French culture and daily life. Here, the baguette isn't just a loaf of bread. It's part of everyday life and a symbol of French baking tradition.

Being here has reminded me why I created my Baguette Course in the first place.

Inside the course, I cover seven different styles of baguettes, including straight dough, poolish, levain, rye levain, whole wheat, and baguette de tradition. Beyond the formulas themselves, we dive deep into mixing, fermentation, shaping, scoring, baking, and troubleshooting so you can consistently produce bakery-quality baguettes at home.

One of my favourite parts of the course is an interview with Alexandre Laumain, where he shares his approach to baguette production and the details that separate a good baguette from a great one. Having spent the last few days learning from him in person, I can tell you there's a tremendous amount of knowledge packed into that conversation.

Starting Friday at 6:00 PM EDT, I'll be running a special promotion on the course. If mastering baguettes has been on your baking bucket list, join the waitlist below, and you'll be the first to hear when the sale goes live.

Waitlist members will receive the first details about the sale, course updates, and a few bonus surprises I've been working on.

.🥖 Join the Baguette Waitlist

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Good People Make Great Bread

One thing I've been reminded of during this trip is that great bread is never just about flour, water, and fermentation. It's about people.

A huge thank you to Vincent and the entire team at Moulins Foricher for making this experience possible. From the moment we arrived, they've been incredibly welcoming and generous with their time. We've shared meals together, toured the mill, visited the fields where the wheat is grown, and spent countless hours talking about bread, flour, and baking.

I'd also like to thank Alexandre Laumain for sharing his knowledge with our group over the past three days. Watching a Meilleur Ouvrier de France work is impressive enough, but what I've appreciated most is how approachable, thoughtful, and generous he has been as a teacher. Every baker in the workshop improved, and the level of enthusiasm and curiosity in the room was inspiring.

A special thank you as well to Arnaud, who guided us through the milling process. One of the highlights of the week was seeing firsthand how flour is produced and gaining a deeper appreciation for everything that happens before flour ever reaches our mixing bowls. From the wheat fields just minutes from the mill to the finished flour itself, it was a powerful reminder that great bread begins long before we start mixing dough.

Most of all, I've been struck by the passion of everyone involved. Whether it's growing wheat, milling flour, or baking bread, there is a genuine pride in the craft that is impossible not to appreciate.

I'll share more photos and a few of my biggest takeaways from the mill and wheat fields in next week's newsletter.

If you'd like to learn more about Moulins Foricher, you can visit them here:

​https://www.foricher.com/​

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Reader Bake of the Week 🍫

One of the highlights of this trip has been meeting bakers from around the world.

Marni travelled all the way from Australia to join us here in France. She runs a micro bakery back home, worked incredibly hard throughout the workshop, and absolutely crushed every bake she put into the oven.

During one of our conversations, she showed me a photo of a batch of brownies she'd made using my sourdough brownie recipe. Not only did they look fantastic, but she told me they're one of her best-selling products.

As someone who spends a lot of time creating recipes and educational content, it's pretty special to see those recipes being baked on the other side of the world and finding a place in someone else's business.

So this week's Reader Bake of the Week goes to Marni.

And if you haven't tried these brownies yet, consider this your reminder. They're rich, fudgy, chocolatey, and a great way to use up sourdough discard. They've become a favourite in our house, and apparently in an Australian micro bakery too.

You can find the full recipe here

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Next week, some Paris recos I promise; for now I need some sleep it's 12:42 am here 😅

Happy Baking,

MJD

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