The Parisian Jambon Beurre’s beauty lies in its simplicity. A baguette, some butter, a few slices of ham, and sometimes a bit of cheese. That which could otherwise be dull and uninspired is transformed by the quality of its elements. While sandwiches are typically lunch fare in the US, these serve just as well, if not better, as breakfast.
I tried three different versions this past week. Le Petit Vendome’s rendition had the best ham and most variety. I particularly liked “the Special” which added goat cheese into the mix. Finding a place to eat your “to go” bakery items can be challenging in Paris. By the time I made it back to my hotel, the baguettes were past their prime. The inner crumb was satisfyingly chewy, but the crust had become somewhat leathery and tough.
I made it to La Parisienne in the morning. The baguettes fared better, though the ham was not to the same level as Le Petit Vendome’s. The best by far was from Boulangerie Utopie, whose baguettes had both a crisp crust and a firm elasticity along with a robustly complex flavor profile attributable to the presumably long fermentation time.
