In April, 2008, Kirsten and I traveled to Paris to attend the Coupe de Monde de Boulangerie (the World Cup of Baking), an event taking place at Europain, the European Baking Expo. Pagosa Baking Company is a member of The Bread Baker's Guild of America, the organization trains and supports Team USA. Three members represent the bakers of America in one of each category: bread, viennoiserie (breakfast pastries), and artistic design.

Twelve international teams participate in this final competition. Four baking kitchens are set up for the competition at Parc des Exposition, the Europain exhibition space in the suburbs north of Paris. Over the three days of competition, each team spends a day and evening in the kitchen, preparing their individual product, plus café sandwiches, a group effort that is displayed as part of the artistic design piece. Continued...

Expectations were high for Team USA, particularly because the previous competition, in 2005, was won by Team USA. We spent the days observing the competition, cheering on our team, pressing in against the barrier, pondering with other American and European artisan bakers, teasing out the teams' technique and strategy. In the end, Team USA placed 4th - a disappointment, certainly, but challenging, thrilling, elevating for all of them: an amazing experience to compete on the international stage.

We poured over the displays of each team, comparing minute details of baguettes and specialty breads, new and interesting pastry design, untraditional ingredients, cutting edge technique. We reveled in rubbing elbows with the best in our business.  Continued...

As intriguing as "the Coupe" were the tours BBGA arranged at local bakeries: boulangeries (bread bakeries) and patisseries (pastry shops). We met up with other BBGA members to meet business owners for front and back of house tours. Photos show our hosts and their bakeries — note the bread and pastry equipment wedged into tight spaces, a huge variety of breads, pastries, and savory baked goods.

Multiple bakeries occupy every block of Paris — a city of aficionados! Language was no barrier to our conversations. French language infuses the vocabulary of artisan bakers around the world, and our common love of all things pain eased communication.  Continued...

On a more personal track, I hunted down the location of a Boulangerie that is in the background of a photo taken of my father in 1952. My father's love of food was one of the influences that started me toward my dream of owning a bakery. Using visual clues in the original photograph, and my grandmother's note on the back naming the street, we found that the location still houses a very fine bakery, where we had a very fine lunch.

Welcome to Pagosa Baking Company... Pagosa Springs, Colorado's downtown bakery, offering fresh breads, delightful pastries, pies, cakes, cookies and more.

We also serve BREAKFAST and LUNCH seven days a week; come by for a great Breakfast Burrito or Panini Sandwich! You can also browse our select merchandise, such as imported olive oils, organic fair trade coffee, cheeses, and out-of-this-world locally-made pestos and spreads from Enchanted Valley Farm.

PAGOSA BAKING COMPANY • 970-264-9348 • Contact Us