Rumors about the croissant

According to Kate Hopkins, writer of the Accidental Hedonist blog, there is a legend that croissants were created in Vienna, Austria, to celebrate the city's successful repulsion of Ottoman invaders; the crescent shape mimicked the crescent on the Ottoman flag. Old folklore also states that Austrian-born Queen of France Marie Antoinette, wife of King Louis XVI, requested a croissant every day. Whether this is true or not, it shows that food was often traded among the royal courts, slowly infiltrating tradition and culture.

Origin of French Pastries

Most pastries have Mediterranean roots, thanks to the Ottoman Empire, which dominated Europe in the 13th century. Even after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the food and culture of everyday life existed, and its pastries were still served in the French and Spanish royal courts.

Phyllo pastry was commonly used in Greece and because of its mild climate, the readily available supply of nuts and fruit were commonly paired with this pastry. Some of the oldest pastries derived from Greece are baklava, described as a "traditional diamonds and squares packed with walnuts and/or almonds, as well as little phyllo crowns---finger-size shirred cylinders called saraglidakia---filled with pistachios, with dried apricots, with prunes and more (Kochilas, Greek Soul)."

Most commonly used in confections like marzipan, Sicily has been one of the original providers of almond paste. Vincent Schiavelli says, "For centuries, almond paste was Sicily's greatest export, prized as far north as the royal courts of Scandinavia."

Etymology

The word "dessert" comes from the French word "desservir" which means "to clear the table." The word was first used during the 17th century to describe the offering of sweets (usually fruit or cheese) after the main course. Over time, the custom of eating dessert became more popular. The French developed a multitude of delightful pastries, cakes and confections that are still celebrated today.

Time Frame

The French perfected the craft of desserts making during the 17th and 18th centuries. Antonin Carême, considered the first "celebrity chef," created elaborate dessert sculptures for royalty.

Features

French desserts are typically made from cream, custards and fruit. Often delicate and complex in nature, they take time to prepare.

Types

Popular French desserts include chocolate mousse, crème brulee and flaky Choux pastries such as profiteroles, éclairs and cruellers. Other specialties include tarts, cake-like cookie madeleines and crepes with sweet fillings.

Significance

French desserts are often regarded as the best pastries and confections in the world.

Famous Ties

One of the most famous French desserts is the Napoleon which ironically has nothing to do with Napoleon Bonaparte. The name is actually a mistranslation of the French word "Napolitain" which places its origins in Naples, Italy.

August Zang (August 2, 1807 - March 4, 1888),

August Zang was a nineteenth century Austrian entrepreneur best known for founding the Viennese daily "Die Presse". He also had a major influence on French baking methods, but his role in this regard is less-known, in part because of Zang's own later efforts. Zang's Boulangerie Viennoise in 1909 (when Philibert Jacquet owned it). The bakery proper is at left, the tea salon at right. Son of Christophe Boniface Zang, a prominent Vienna surgeon, August Zang became an artillery officer before going to Paris (probably in 1837) to found a famous Viennese Bakery ("Boulangerie Viennoise"), which opened in 1838 or 1839.[1] The bakery was quickly imitated and its Austrian kipfel became the French croissant.