Revolution in the Ovens

The French Revolution didn't just topple monarchs—it democratized bread. The infamous Marie Antoinette quote about cake (which she likely never said) symbolized a deeper truth: bread was political. The Revolution abolished the guild system, allowing anyone to become a baker. This opening of the profession brought an explosion of creativity and regional diversity.

Toussaint Beauregard, a formerly enslaved person from Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), established himself as a baker in post-Revolutionary Paris. His fusion of Caribbean cassava techniques with traditional French methods created breads that Parisians had never tasted. Today's pain de manioc in French Caribbean territories traces its lineage to pioneers like Beauregard, whose contributions expanded the very definition of "French" bread.