<P> An enormous variety of bread is available across Europe . Germany alone lays claim to over 1300 basic varieties of breads, rolls, and pastries, as well as having the largest consumption of bread per capita worldwide . Bread and salt is a welcome greeting ceremony in many central and eastern European cultures . During important occasions when guests arrive, they are offered a loaf of bread with a salt holder to represent hospitality . </P> <P> In France, there has been a huge decline in the baguette culture . In the 1970s, French people were consuming an average of one loaf of bread per day . Only a century ago, the French ate approximately 3 loaves of bread per day . Today, French people eat only a half a loaf of bread per day . In response to this decline, bakers have created a national campaign to get people to call at the bakery before and after work just as they used to . The campaign models the American "Got Milk?" campaign, plastering "Hey there, have you picked up the bread?" all over billboards and bread bags . </P> <P> During the 18th century, the moral economy of France was based on wheaten bread . By supplying a sufficient amount of bread to the people, the government was able to demonstrate its strong political fitness . Wheaten bread was also thought to be indispensable to one's well - being after French medical chemists had associated gluten with several nourishing elements in plants . As bread had a high gluten content compared to other cereals, it was given a reputation of being the alimentary ideal . Consequently, consumers became extremely concerned with the quality of their wheaten bread, resulting in a meticulous surveillance of wheaten bread production; they did not want their bread to contain filler additives such as bran, rye, barley, and legume flour . At the time, bread was the most sought out food as it was considered to be essential, universal, and highly nutritive . It was typical for the average French citizen to believe that it was impossible to overindulge in bread . For many, bread became the centerpiece of every meal . All other foods such as fruits, vegetables, and meats were thought as subsidiary, or ancillary to nourishment . </P> <P> There is a wide variety of traditional breads in Great Britain, often baked in a rectangular tin form . Round loaves are also produced, such as the North East England specialty called a stottie cake . A cob is a small round loaf . A cottage loaf is made of two balls of dough, one on top of the other, to form a figure - of - eight shape . There are many variations on bread rolls, such as baps, barms, breadcakes and so on . The Chorleywood process for mass - producing bread was developed in England in the 1960s before spreading worldwide . Mass - produced sliced white bread brands such as Wonderloaf and Mother's Pride have been criticized on grounds of poor nutritional value and taste of the loaves produced . </P>

Why is bread important to the french culture
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