French bread is a family of long, crusty white loaves associated with France, most commonly the baguette: thin, with a golden, crisp crust and a light, airy interior. The distinctive crust comes from steam-injected baking, a technique that spread through Parisian bakeries in the 19th century; the familiar thin baguette shape is generally traced to the early 20th century. In the US, 'French bread' is often used loosely for any baguette-style supermarket loaf, while in France the term covers several related long-loaf shapes, not just the baguette. It's used for sandwiches, as a base for bruschetta and crostini, and as an accompaniment to soups and stews, and pairs well with butter, cheese, charcuterie, and savory spreads.