I remember well the first time I went to Paris, more than 30 years ago. What impressed me most was not the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. No, it was the bread. Crusty, chewy and full of flavor, there was simply nothing like it available at home at the time. Since then, American bakers have all but caught up with their counterparts in France. Nowadays here in the United States so-called artisanal bread is everywhere, even in the supermarket. But as one who fully appreciates the virtues of artisanal