At Supercurioso we are lovers of the most delicious food. One of those dishes that we fall in love with and that we want to try again a thousand times. On one occasion we told you about origin of pizza, that exquisite Italian emblem of universal character. On this occasion we wanted to focus on the history of the croissant. This delicious little sandwich has delighted our palates for a long time, but that is not the only curious thing about this food.. In fact, one of the greatest curiosities of the croissant is its origin, since everyone thinks that the principles of this food go back to Paris, which in truth was not the case.
Do you want to know the origin of the croissant? In Supercurioso we have started to investigate a little about it and we have made this article to tell you everything about the origin of this curious food.
The true origin of the croissant (or Croissant)
Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, there is no doubt about that. The art, the architecture, the beautiful parks and gardens… there is a lot what to see in paris. In fact, if we refer only to good food, in the French gastronomy we will find true wonders, worthy of the most demanding palates. But if what we are looking for is the origin of the croissant, then we will not find it there. And it is that Although this food is almost the official breakfast of the Parisians and the French, the truth is that it was not there where the origin of this tasty food was seen..
No, although it may surprise you, the history of the croissant does not begin in France. In fact, This famous pastry making that the French have so warmly embraced had its royal origin in Austria. The story of the origin of this food is long and complex, dating back to the 17th century. Let’s meet her. Join us!
1. The beginnings of the history of the croissant
To know the history of the croissant, we must go back to the past, several centuries ago. The beginning of this small cake has Viennese roots and its origin is traced back to the end of the 17th century..
According to experts, in 1683, the Ottomans, commanded by the Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa, advanced along the banks of the Danube after having conquered Constantinople. They were taking over the small towns they found along the way. However, his goal was to achieve a second great victory by conquering the city of vienna. They were heading towards her. What the Turks did not know was that they were heading towards their perdition, because in Vienna something that they had not foreseen awaited them: the Viennese bakers, those responsible for the origin of the croissant.
Well, at first the Ottomans tried to storm the city, without success. The Austrians seemed to be prepared for anything, so after several attempts the Ottomans decided to reverse their strategy. After thinking about it a lot, Mustafa decided that the strategy to conquer Vienna was to do it through tunnels. Yes, the Ottomans started digging tunnels to lay siege to the city by surprise: sort of a Trojan horse. It was there where the bakers intervened, and where this war story becomes the origin of the croissant.
2. The battle and victory of the bakers
But how did the bakers contribute to winning this battle, which marked the origin of the croissant? Well, that’s where we go. The Ottoman strategy was to dig the tunnels at night, in order to save the walls that protected the city.. The idea was to attack at dawn, when nobody expected it. However, as we have already said, the Ottomans did not count on bakers.
And it is that these noble workers began their day long before dawn, and Leaving that early morning, the bakers of Vienna heard strange noises: they were the Ottomans digging the tunnels. Noticing this, the bakers tipped off the army, which diligently prepared to ambush the Ottomans, forcing them back. But what does this have to do with the origin of the croissant? Let’s see it.
3. Victory in a cupcake
It is here where the history of the croissant is marked. Faced with this great victory, King Leopoldo I was overjoyed. Of course, he knew well that this victory was not entirely due to himself and his diligent army.
That had been largely thanks to the timely action of the bakers. To thank him, the king decided to decorate the Viennese bakers. These, for their part, They decided to commemorate the victory in their own way: by baking crescent-shaped buns, as a way of mocking the Ottoman emblem. This roll, known as kifli or kipferl, was the one that later became popular under the name of croissant and the same one that became one of the curiosities of Paris.
4. The popularization of the croissant in France
Although the origin of the croissant is quite interesting, there is another element in its history that draws our attention. It refers to how croissants became so famous in France. Well, decades after the triumph of the Viennese over the Turks, in 1770, the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette married the Dauphin of France, who would be crowned Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette took her favorite breakfast with her: the kifli. French pastry chefs adopted it and improved it to create what we now know as a croissant..
The king and queen lost their heads to the revolutionaries, but the croissant continued to reign in France. Other historians claim that it became popular when an Austrian officer named August Zang opened a Viennese pastry shop in Paris. around the year 1839. In any case, today we know that a good croissant is one of the best things what to enjoy in france.
And you, What do you think of the origin of the croissant? Did you expect this to be his story? Did you know it wasn’t French? If this story has interested you, you may want to read the post that talks about the Egyptian and religious origin of the bowling game, did you know? We are in a next super curious article!