Stumbled on a baking fact that blew my mind at the library

I was reading a book on bread history and found out that in 18th century France, bakers could be executed for selling underweight loaves. The punishment was hanging. I always knew it was a serious trade, but that's a whole other level of pressure. Has anyone else come across a historical baking rule that seems insane now?

3 comments

3 Comments

ruby_wright14d ago

That rule was actually pretty fair for preventing famine riots.

thomasgonzalez14d ago

Ruby_wright has a point about keeping order, but you still need to hold the millers to account. Let them off the hook and the bad flour just keeps coming. The whole chain breaks if only the baker pays the price.

ryan_black14d ago

So they'd hang you for a light loaf, but what did they do to the millers who sold bad flour? Seems like the baker always took the fall for the whole supply chain.