Originally Posted by
iahphx
I'm always amazed at how bad bread is in the USA. The bread you will get from an average bakery in France is better than 99.9% of the bread in the United States.
While I don't dispute your statement, even French bread isn't what it was.
The Fall and Rise of French Bread
My personal experience in France is that there is a lot of mediocre bread in France as well.
There is also the aspect of personal preference. When I look for bread, I want bread, not a loaf gussied up with nuts or fruit or cheese or olives that are often put there to hide the essential lack of character of the bread itself. Others love bread with these additions.
If you are in DC, try: The Bread Line at Pennsylvania Ave and 18th St NW.