Julia Child Once Baked With Asbestos For Extra Crackly Bread

Stutter the word "asbestos" in public and watch the reaction. You'd think you'd announced a bubonic plague diagnosis; the a-word sends people spiraling, and for good reason. The mineral fibers are dangerously carcinogenic in even the smallest of quantities. This is problematic, as the material was once used everywhere — from building to baking, especially in the '60s. It's true: Even the culinary queen herself, Julia Child, used an asbestos tile to perfect her crackly baguette recipe. The material withstood extreme heat, allowed even cooking, and produced a beautifully crispy surface. In theory, the budget-friendly approach was a dream solution. But hindsight is 20/20; the strategy's success was clearly marred by the deadliness of asbestos. Did anyone else cringe at the mere thought? Yikes.

There is a slight caveat to the tale. Julia undoubtedly oversaw the risky process, but it was actually her husband, Paul, who slid an asbestos cement tile into the oven. She initially praised his ingenuity before back-tracking later upon discovering the material was carcinogenic. At this stage, the two swapped the dangerous choice for much safer alternatives, like quarry or tortoise-glaze tiles. It's a wild fact to recite next time someone asks, "Who was Julia Child?"

Julia quickly swapped strategies after new research on asbestos was released. But do you understand what makes it so dangerous? Yes, it's carcinogenic. However, the real danger comes from the microscopic fibers becoming airborne. Once inhaled, the fibers wreak havoc inside the body — posing a serious risk of asbestosis and cancer even decades after exposure. Since tiles are solid, the likelihood of exposure is slightly lower, but with any deterioration or damage, they could release enough fibers to cause long-term damage to the lungs. You don't have to be chaotic in the kitchen to realize cooking with asbestos is a bad idea. Why wake a sleeping dragon?

Let's just say there are better ways to cook baguette. Nowadays, a purpose-made baking stone safely achieves the perfect crust for a similar effect. These culinary contraptions absorb and retain heat, and the reviews of products like this 15 x 12-Inch Unicook Pizza Stone (available for $35.99 on Amazon) speak for themselves. You'd be amazed at the secret bread-making strategies your kitchen hides; there's even the microwave trick to bring stale bread back to life. In the meantime, use some of Julia Child's other best cooking tips for home chefs — asbestos hiccup aside, the icon's culinary hacks are golden.