Happy National Croissant Day

I’m not a big sweets person, but there’s one treat that I’m always in the mood for– croissants.

Chocolate croissants, almond croissants, plain croissants– you name it. I’m here for it. Which is why I was very pleased to wake up and find out that today is National Croissant Day.

I took it upon myself to do some research on the french delicacy, only to find that they aren’t even french. I feel like my entire life is a lie.

Alto-Hartley covered the often-misunderstood origins and history of the crispy, golden dish.

According to their site: Croissants are a style of viennoiserie pastries, which of course relates back to the Austrian city of Vienna, otherwise known as the birthplace of croissants.

The ancestor to the modern-day croissant was called the kipferl, which dates back to the 13th century and comes in various shapes and sizes. They are often filled with nuts or other fillings, and kipferl (which have possible but unconfirmed roots in ancient Egypt), are also considered to be a form of rugelach, a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin. They are denser and sweeter to what we think of as the modern croissant.

So, where did the association to France come from?

Alto-Hartley explained: The first verified evidence of the croissant in France is due to a baker named August Zang. Zang had an upscale patisserie in Paris in the early 1800s, named the Boulangerie Viennoise after his native Vienna and serving many of their famous treats — including kipferl. His Parisian version, though, was made flakier than the traditional sweets, and Parisians began calling them croissants because of their crescent shapes.

Finally, in 1915, a French baker named Sylvain Claudius Goy would write the recipe that we all know and love today, especially as we sit with a warm cup of Joe in the morning.

Well, there you have it. You are now better-equipped to drop fun facts and historical knowledge when you enjoy your croissant for National Croissant Day.

You’re welcome.

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