Sofitel New York Celebrates National French Bread Day

  • March 17, 2015
Sofitel New York Celebrates National French Bread Day
The tastiest supply of baguettes and other famous French bakery finds will be found at New York City's best known French-accented hotel: Sofitel New York. In fact, the private dining room of Sofitel's brasserie, Gaby, will be turned into a charming Boulangerie for one day on March 21, brimming with an assortment of 15 kinds of French bread and delectable French pastries. The cost for each is just $1 – with all of the proceeds going to City Harvest, the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to helping feed the more than 1.4 million New Yorkers facing hunger. Guests are welcome to donate more than $1 if they choose.

While the Boulangerie will be open to the public all day, guests of Sofitel New York will get a cheddar truffle pretzel upon check-in and a croissant upon check-out. The holiday will be celebrated as well during lunch and dinner in Gaby with servings of four types of bread along with an olive tapenade.

National French Bread Day calls to mind the birth of the baguette – a 1920's innovation that grew out of a Parisian law forbidding bakers to work from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. The baguette, unlike a round bread, cooks faster and ferments quickly. Today, they are sold, along with croissants, viennoiseries and other typical pastries in over 26,000 boulangeries in France, although the French have reduced their consumption to a half a baguette daily from three a day in the 1900s.

While Sofitel's special one-day celebration of bread will be limited to March 21, guests can always enjoy Gaby's excellent bakery fare, and boulangerie-style food stations often offered at private hotel functions.

For reservations or more information, call 212-782-3091 or visit https://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-2185-sofitel-new-york/index.shtml.

Photo credit: Mathieu Thouvenin