So, don’t ask me why, but in the US, National Croissant Day is January 30th. France doesn’t do national holidays, so that means today is the best excuse I’ll ever have to dedicate an entire blog post to the croissant. As someone who grew up pronouncing the “r” and “t” in croissant, I have to say, this really feels like coming full circle.
Until today, I’d never really considered that the croissant might not actually have originated in France. The golden, flaky pastry softened by layers of butter is practically a national symbol of this country, after all. But, lo and behold, this iconic pastry actually hails from further east – Vienna, Austria, to be exact.
The history of the croissant actually begins with the kipferl
The kipferl was an inconspicuous, crescent-shaped pastry that came to symbolize a great victory. Legend has it that the Austrian victory against the Turks in the Siege of Vienna had less to do with military prowess and more to do with a baker’s exhausting schedule. The story goes that one fateful morning in July 1683, the Turks tunneled into the city while most of the inhabitants were sleeping. However, they failed to account for the city’s bakers. As everyone knows, (but rarely thinks about), bakers rise well before dawn to begin their work. One such baker reportedly heard the invaders and sounded the alarm. In the jubilation of winning a huge victory against the Ottoman Empire, the kipferl gained prominence and popularity. This popularity became a key point in the history of the croissant.
Another popular legend holds that the modern-day croissant can be traced directly back to Marie Antoinette’s homesickness. One morning, she reportedly requested that the French bakers concoct her something reminiscent of home. Voilà – the croissant was borne of a kipferl attempt.
The fact of the matter is: In 1838, an enterprising man from Vienna opened the first Viennese bakery in Paris
Located at 92 Rue Richelieu on the Right Bank, August Zang’s entrepreneurial venture was an instant hit with the Parisians. The bakery’s window display always featured stunning, elaborate arrangements that showcased Zang’s keen acumen for advertising and marketing as much as an understanding for the Parisian psyche. The locals couldn’t get enough of his authentic Vienna bread, kaiser rolls, and kipferl – and Parisian bakers took notice. When Zang closed up shop and moved back to Vienna, dozens of Viennoiserie imitators had sprung up. The kipferl became firmly entrenched on the Parisian palette, although, of course, with a French spin.
The puff pastry with which the croissant is so closely associated with today is a French innovation
Classic kipferl is denser and may have had sugar or almonds depending on the occasion. Today, kipferl in Austria resembles more of a cookie, while the French croissant is staunchly French – a classic icon that resists change.
That’s not to say that other areas of the world haven’t made an attempt to style the croissant in a different fashion. By other areas of the world, of course, I’m referring to the US. Where else would an abomination such as the “Cronut” appear?
History really is a living thing – the most recent page in the history of the croissant dates to May 2013, in a renowned boulangerie in SoHo, New York
Behold the Cronut. It is a croissant-donut hybrid that, in true US-American fashion, takes something minimalist and classic and renders it… well, the exact opposite. Consumers are also charged literally 600% of what a croissant would cost in France – Cronuts cost $6 a pop. The punchline? The man responsible for this particular Americanization, Dominique Ansel, is French. Now that’s what I call sweet irony.
That’s all for now – the storied history of the croissant has led us to one final, important question: Are you team Cronut or team croissant?
Sources
Is the Croissant Really French – Smithsonianmag.com
The History of the Croissant – Myfrenchcountryhome.com
