When I lived in Paris, I learned a thing or two about French bakeries. My host family's apartment in the 14th arrondissement neighbored a boulangerie, and as I began my walk to class at 8 a.m. everyday, the warm scents lured me in for a bonjour and a baguette. Baguettes are perhaps the hallmark of French cuisine (they're protected under UNESCO, after all). Approaching the French can be intimidating because of their cultural pride, but knowing how to order a baguette à la Parisienne will both impress the French and score you high-quality bread for your pique-nique before the Eiffel Tower.

To order a baguette like a local, ask for a baguette de tradition. Also called a baguette tradition, this is the most authentic and the only government-mandated French baguette recipe. As defined by a bread law passed in 1993, a tradition must be made with only wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast -- absolutely no preservatives or additives may be added. The law also regulates that the dough cannot be frozen and that they must be baked where they are sold, among other specifications outlined by the government. The strict rules for producing a baguette tradition ensures the best-quality baguette: a sturdy, crunchy crust and a bouncy, yeasty interior with large air pockets for a soft texture.

Other common versions of the baguette include the baguette ordinaire or baguette classique. Because these aren't regulated, they may contain preservatives, the dough may have been frozen, and the boulangerie may have sourced the bread from elsewhere. While these baguettes will most likely still taste good, they won't reach the superior quality of a tradition.