Marginal Revolution: Le problème du pain
Bread is one of the great pleasures of Paris. The croissants melt in your mouth, the tarts have a crust that is to die for and when you break a baguette the bloom crackles perfectly and yet the inside is moist and chewy. Moreover, I’m not talking about the best bread in Paris (which is likely the best in the world), I’m talking about the bread that you can find in any of thousands of neighborhood boulangeries and patisseries. Why is the bread in Paris better than any that I can find in Washington?

That post isn’t just about bread as you will discover.
I have to say that I prefer German bread and French pastries. And, it is true, while many bakeries in the US have fancy German ovens they are simply unable to achieve the same quality. Maybe it is a question of not knowing what it is supposed to taste like. Like playing a piece of music you have never heard. You have the sheetmusic and you know all of the notes, but you might not be able to get the feel of the music from that.