David Lebovitz, an American living in France, describes the automated French bread making coin-op machines at his local late-night convenience store, a shop whose clientèle are said to be les célibataires (celibates singles).
But everyone, single or otherwise, has the right to fresh bread, even if they have to suffer the indignity of buying five leaves of lettuce with a plastic packet of dressing and calling it “Salad for One.” And when I saw this giant machine, the size of a small truck, right in the store, I had to try it out. You drop in a €1 coin, wait about 60 seconds for the bread to bake, then it cools the bread for another 30 seconds. A touch screen lets you monitor the progress every second of the way. It also lets you know the ingredients&Mdash;but would it kill them to put in a window? I’d love to what’s going on in there.
Then it’s ready and you slide the door open and pull out your presumably fresh, hot baguette du jour. I won’t comment on the taste or texture, but I don’t think they’re going to put any bakeries out of business soon.
(via Super Punch)