SOUR ENDING: Parisian bread becomes toast as label's owner closes bakery

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 8/20/5 | Carl Nolte

[SmithL]

The bankrupt Kansas City firm that owns three Bay Area bakeries killed one of the oldest names in San Francisco's sourdough French bread business Friday.

It was the last day for the Parisian sourdough bread bakery, which had been producing San Francisco's signature bread for 149 years.

"It's a sad day for the industry, a sad day for San Francisco, and a sad day for all those people losing their jobs,'' said Lou Giraudo, whose family owns the Boudin bakery chain and once owned Parisian. The family sold Parisian in 1993 to another firm, which later sold it to Interstate Bakeries.

Boudin's bakery, founded in 1849, is the oldest sourdough operation in the country, but Parisian, which first started baking sourdough bread based on a recipe from French bakers, was established in 1856, the year San Francisco's government was taken over by vigilantes.

"It is going to sound corny, but what I liked about Parisian bread was the San Francisconess of it,'' said Cor Sivertstol. "It was as San Francisco as the cable cars.''

Other sourdough bread is fine, he said, but Parisian was simply the best. Sivertstol lives in Santa Cruz but always made a point of picking up a loaf or two when in the city on business.

It was business -- a troubled bakery chain, a tough market and old baking plants -- that killed the bread.

[SmithL]

[Khurkris]

As a former resident of "Baghdad by the Bay" (thanks Herb) I can say without reservation that Parisian sourdough was the best. It was great bread.

To Interstate Bakeries - "You die!...You die and go to hell!"
Obvious SouthPark epithet.

[Rudder]

I used to live on Taylor right by the trolley car barn. Once, I had a date with this hot lady and wanted to impress her. But, with only $20 in my pocket, I was unsure I could pull it off. Well, we both hopped on the cable car to jump off at a local mom & pop store. I got a bottle of wine, one large crab and a round loaf of Parisian sour dough---what a sumptious repast!

[Khurkris]

Man, that was a $20 memory that is priceless. Such simplicity. I've spent many an afternoon setting in the little park at the muni pier at the end of Van Ness with a loaf of sour dough, some olive oil and a bottle of wine. My girl friend of the moment always thought it was the greatest thing possible. Old guys playing bocci ball, tourists walking out the pier and Alcatraz in the bay...just priceless!