OMG. Just bought something masquerading as a baguette from Tesco...

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... and it turns out to be a cunningly baguette-shaped batch loaf (joined along the long side wft?), obviously cooked with something to soften the loaf as it's not at all crunchy on the outside, but soft and flaccid, like a milk loaf. Inside you haven't got the fluffy texture and distinctive baguette taste, but something more like a sweetish bathroom sponge.

Is this what the UK considers to be a baguette? I haven't bought one from Tesco for ages (usually go to co-op where their baguettes are passable, or Waitrose if I'm feeling spendy). WTF? Is all Tesco food this shit??? Why deface the staple produce that is the baguette by making it so multidimensionally crap?

Rant over. Yes, it's a first world problem.

pluto I have no real evidence but 6 of the family with cars (ranging from 1.1 corsa upto 2ltr mondeo and all what not in between) at all different tescos, upto 110miles apart, all filled at tesco for an experiment, in the time we used that fuel we got considerably less mpg the cars didn't run as well as usual, stuttered a bit starting in mine and dps case and none of us would use it again. We've done this twice now, in 2010 and end of 2011.

We all use Asda garages now, get great mpg and cars run well.

I can't explain it as I am not technical, it was an 'experiment' born of a family trip were 2 of us topped up £10 petrol and felt it pissed away in seconds.

Op, tescos new breads are shite! M&S or asda get my vote for baguettes.

have an m+s 'baguette' - delightfully crunchy but about four inches long...

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I do have a bread machine, a 10-year-old panasonic one, that's still working, I think. I will be getting it out of the cupboard. The only problem is that it's hard to do baguettes at home in a normal oven, as you can't get the right conditions for that lovely crust.

Doesn't a bowl of steaming water in the bottom of the oven work for you?