Le Grand Prix Elmendorf du Pain is an annual Parisian-inspired street festival and bread competition held in East Cambridge, celebrating French baking traditions and local community spirit. The event features an eclectic mix of French-inspired food vendors, local artists, live music, and a festive atmosphere as Cambridge and Eighth streets are closed to cars for the occasion. The bread competition is divided into amateur and professional categories, with this year’s challenge focusing on demi-baguettes for home bakers and croissants for professionals, judged blind by a panel of experts. Inspired by Paris’s Grand Prix de la Baguette, the event aims to highlight both the artistry of bread-making and the vibrancy of the East Cambridge community. Jeanine and I enjoyed our visit during which we obtained two loaves of bread, a cheese and cracker plate, a cherry and almond cookie, and two rather large smiles.

We then drove to Medford for a brief visit with Kyle, who is leaving for Portugal tomorrow on a month-long stint working remotely.

Earlier in the day, I watched from the sidelines as my soccer team fought hard for a 2-1 win, which secured our first-place finish for the spring season and home-field advantage for the league championship playoffs. I decided it was better to forego playing today than risk re-injuring my hamstring and missing the playoff matches. I fully expect to be back on the pitch next weekend.