Sacre bleu! Croissant throw-down comes to Cambridge Parisian street fair

Nothing evokes the “ooh-la-la” esprit du France like a fresh, hand-crafted baguette — unless it’s a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth croissant. Professional and home bakers will put that notion to the test Sunday, June 8 at the third annual Le Grand Prix Elmendorf du Pain in Cambridge.

The homegrown Parisian-style fair fills Cambridge and 8th streets with joie de vivre, and in the past included a big baguette competition for the pros. But Elmendorf Baking Supplies & Cafe co-owners Teddy and Alyssa Applebaum are bidding adieu to that battle of long, crusty swords this year and throwing down a new, crescent-shaped gauntlet instead.

In addition to bragging rights, the winner will be anointed as the official supplier of croissants to the French consulate in Boston.

Teddy Applebaum sat down with WBUR's Andrea Shea outside his cafe to talk about this year's festival. His responses have been condensed and edited for clarity.

The baguette is an icon of French culture. But this year you're pivoting to croissants for the professional competitors at your festival. Why?

"We feel it can get a little staid if you do the same thing over and over again. And everybody loves croissants. They’re really fun, and they’ve been having a moment over the last couple years. But we wanted to do the plain croissant because we think it gets a little overlooked in all the hype over the crazy, cube-shaped croissants that are on Instagram these days. And, to make a perfect croissant is one of the greatest achievements for bakers everywhere.

How hard is it to make a croissant?

"It’s really hard, as we’re learning right now because our little shop is attempting to master croissants. There are a million little things that can go wrong — the temperature, or the butter got too soft or too hard, or you get overworked or underworked dough — and everything just falls apart. To get that perfect honeycomb structure on the inside, where it's beautiful and open and flakey and not dry is a real master stroke. They're almost impossible to make at home without the proper equipment."

The massive baguette competition in Paris — which was created by French president Jacques Chirac in 1997 to preserve traditional bread making culture — inspired your street festival when it debuted. Could this year’s crescent-shaped curve ball in Cambridge be seen as a kind of blasphemy?

"I think the original idea behind the competition in France was to kick the butts of bakers there who had lost their way. Bread making was going downhill in France, and to bring it back they really needed something to spark people to connect with their traditions.

"We have an incredible baking scene around here, but we still think we're honoring that tradition by having people do something like the croissant to showcase what everyone is doing in this area. But again, no cubes. Sorry. Our submission guidelines has a drawing of a crescent and a sad looking cube. I’m not knocking the cube, everyone out there should know I respect the cube.

What do you think it is about the croissant that enamors people?

"Well, I don't know if there's a better vehicle for butter than a croissant. They shatter in your hands. They're soft. They’re crunchy. They're a little bit sweet and salty. They’re perfect with a cup of coffee."

Baguettes haven’t completely disappeared from this year’s competition, right?

"We are doing the baguettes for amateurs as demi baguettes (or half-sized) which I think a lot of people have thought was a little cruel because that's another thing that people really don't do in home ovens — partially because a real baguette is probably too long. Even a demi baguette, though, is really tough. It's hard to get the right steam and temperature. So yeah, we've had a fair amount of flack from that one, but we're standing by it.

What else is changing for your festival’s recipe?

"The croissant competition has brought in so many more bakeries. The festival is probably twice as large this year as it was the first year — like five blocks on Cambridge Street — so there are a lot more vendors involved. Something I'm really excited about is one of the last hand-painted sign makers for buildings in the area is having a stand of his art. Also, the Mushroom Shop, one of my favorite foraging spots. So there's some really cool small businesses that really fit the French market vibe. It's about 40 total, and around 20 businesses partaking in the competition. There's two musical acts this year both playing classic, French Django Reinhardt style jazz. So it's gonna be a real party out there — a fete to not forget."

Do you have any suggestions for folks who'll join your fete?

"I would say sample a little bit of this and that — cheese, crepes, I put together a little picnic experience. And grab a glass of wine. There’s nothing more French than drinking a glass of wine in the street."

Le Grand Prix Elmendorf du Pain street fair and bread baking competition is Sunday, June 8, 2025 from 12 - 4 pm at Cambridge Street & 8th. It’s co-hosted by the East Cambridge Business Association.