Baguette stamp – credit La Poste
If you want light-hearted news, there is no better place than France to find it. Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network.
France Celebrates Baguette on Scratch-and-Sniff Stamp, Honoring the World Heritage-Declared Food
The French postal service has released a scratch-and-sniff stamp that will fill your letter room or office with the aroma of freshly baked bread as it honors the classic baguette.
The best thing since sliced bread, the baguette, was recently honored by UNESCO with the status of ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage. ‘ In other words, it is a standout element in humanity’s story that can’t be pinned down to the words on a page, the outcome of a battle, or the bricks making up a monument.
La Poste unveiled The Stamp last Thursday on the occasion of Sant-Honore’s feast day—the patron saint of bakers.
“The baguette, the bread of our daily lives, the symbol of our gastronomy, the jewel of our culture,” La Poste says on its website.
It will cost €1.96 ($2.12 US) and run for a limited time. Just under 600,000 copies are set for printing. The image depicts a baguette wrapped in blue and white ribbons.
The stamp’s ink is coated in microcapsules that burst when the customer scratches it, releasing the scent. La Poste purchases the special ink pre-made, and the smell is derived from a collection of bakeries.
“And the difficulty for us is to apply this ink without breaking the capsules, so that the smell can then be released by the customer rubbing on the stamp,” Damien Lavaud, printer at Philaposte, was quoted as saying by France Bleu, according to France24.
UNESCO attempts to summarize the value and uniqueness of baguettes over other breads with the following description.
Baguettes require specific knowledge and techniques. They are baked in small batches throughout the day, and the outcomes vary according to temperature and humidity.
They also generate modes of consumption and social practices that differentiate them from other types of bread, such as daily visits to bakeries to purchase the loaves and specific display racks to match their long shape.
In this turbulent world, the good news in this article is that normal can be refreshing. Today’s JohnKu talks about normal I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Normal by John W. Howell © 2024
The world has gone nuts,
Issue a new stamp about bread . . .
And make us all smile.
Fiction Favorites 
Scratch-and-sniff stamps are a fantastic idea!
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I can see the delivery person sniffing all the mail. Thanks, Dave.😁
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What a great idea to honour the baguette.
Thanks for sharing, dear John
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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I agree. Thanks F4oC. 😊
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The answer to the Why question is because they can … so why not? Then again, I think we buy stamps every two or three years. Nonetheless, I like the idea …. nice JohnKu!
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I just thought the story was so unconnected with today’s world that it was worth sharing.
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I’m guessing it’ll smell better before being used on a belated birthday card.
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I’m guessing you are right. 😁
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I would go back to eating butter to have these…
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Great idea. How about some peanut butter just before licking them to put on a letter?
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Ooh.. Italy can make a salami scented one, and perhaps some cheese stamps from Denmark! (time for breakfast)
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Bacon………..Winner, winner.
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I believe that pleases a lot of people to have a nice smell in the mail.
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Fresh baked bread would be great. Thanks, Tim
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Your JohnKu is spot on! That is the craziest darn thing. But I cannot stop smiling at this most wonderful idea.
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I know right? Leave it to the French.
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I fully support this and think they should also add brownies or chocolate chip cookie smells to the list.
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Or bourbon.
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something about scratch and sniff seems unhygienic, but baguettes are so good.
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Ha ha ha. Not sure there is anything hygienic about the mail.
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The best baguettes I ever had were bought in Paris. I hope that stamp smells half as good. I’ve never had the like here in the US. Vive la baguette!
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I agree on the baguette in Paris.
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How cool is that?! Here we can barely get mail delivered let alone do something as clever as scratch and sniff stamps. Although US stamp prices will increase in July to 73 cents, a 5 cent increase, postage is still reasonably inexpensive. Time to stock up. 😉
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We bought a ton of forever stamps a while ago. We don’t seem to use many during the year.
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What a crazy and fun idea!
Happy Friday, John.
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Thank you, Dale. Happy Friday to you.
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Thank you!
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Elicits a smile for sure! 😄 Thank you for sharing this, John, and brightening the day.
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How could you not smile given the the concept. I see those French noses against the stamps now.
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😄
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😁
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I want some of those stamps! What a great idea. Getting my morning baguette, then later in the day my jambon avec frommage sandwich on a freshly baked baguette was something I came to love while in France. I’ve not found anything here as yummy in the baguette department.
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Nothing finer for sure. Thanks, Deborah.
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How cool is that? I used to put scratch-and-sniff stickers on kids’ papers at school. They loved them.
As an old stamp collector from back in the day, I really appreciate this story.
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I think it is fun to contemplate for sure. Thanks, Pete.
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I love this story!! I hope someone sends me a letter from France with this stamp on it.
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That would be the most fun of all.
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What fun! I wondered by the Iowa legislature went to the trouble to name the Eastern Goldfinch as it’s State Bird during the Great Depression. Perhaps as a little diversion as well?
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I think so, Joy. You have to wonder why things that seem frivolous matter at certain times.
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Well that’s fun and something I never thought of 🙂
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I’m with you, Denise. Great fun though.
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Now that’s one way to sell a lot of loaves. Thanks for the smiles, John💓
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So true, Cindy.
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🥖🥖 fly me 🥐
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Thanks for sharing, John. If I was able to get those stamps, I’d start sending cards to strangers just so I could scratch the stamps 😉
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I think I would be tempted to do the same. 😁
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That is amazing.
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Fun. Thanks, Jacqui.
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I love the scratch and sniff stamp! So cool! And your JohnKu is amazing!🌸
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Thank you, Kymber. 😁
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That’s a fun idea. Maybe bourbon or Hoppes #9 for Americans.
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Great idea, Craig. I could think of a few more. Pizza comes to mind.
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Leave it to the French! Now I crave a baguette! TGIF to you, John!
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Me too. Thanks, Jo. I hope you have a great weekend as well.
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I hate mail but I love bread and so now you’re telling me the postal service across the pond has made it possible to LOVE mail?
Things are looking up!
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Looks that way. Life is getting better.
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It sure is.
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😊
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I particularly like your JohnKu. I wonder if this is the first-ever scratch-and-sniff postage stamp.
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I’ll bet it is. Thanks, Liz.
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You’re welcome, John.
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How wonderful!
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I agree. Thanks Jennie.
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You’re welcome, John.
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😊
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The visual of people sniffing stamps adds more smiles. Reminds me of scratch-n-sniff kindergarten books. Affirms that “everything we need to know we learned in kindergarten.” 👍🏻
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I am a little too old for the kindergarten scratch-n-sniff but other than that, I agree. I haven’t learned much since. 😁
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I think it was the “S” book. 🤔 Fun share, thank you!
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😊
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😳😳😳 I say, dear John! I say! And where are honourable blue chicken stamps?
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Yes blue chicken would be an enhancement to the stamp line. 😁
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No way! That’s hilarious and awesome at the same time. Go, France!
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I agree. Thanks, Betsy.
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What a deal! I cannot imagine this smelling correct. How odd. Loved the haiku.
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I can’t imagine either. Thanks, Audrey
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I just bought2 baguettes today. I love it warmed up, with a big salad.
What a fun post, John, and how nice to have a moment of normal.
Lol…I luv it – a scratch’n’sniff stamp!
🥗𝖃 🥖⧖
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Yes leave it to the French to find a diversion from the world problems.🥗X 🥖X 👃🏻X
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Dieu merci!
🥗X 🥖X 👃🏻X ⚜️X
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🥗X 🥖X 👃🏻X ⚜️X
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⚜️X⚜️X⚜️X⚜️X
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Non Je ne regrette rien
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🌹❦ OX
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😊
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I agree John, in our chaotic world, nice to see a tribute to bread on a stamp. 🙂
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😁
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