Croissant in Conjugation: Unraveling the Secrets of a Perfect Croissant

I have visited Paris three times before and have eaten numerous croissants in the U.S., yet I have never noticed this about what I am about to share.

Now, I wish I could eat croissants every day and never gain weight! Croissants are my second favorite pastries (My favorite pastries are macarons, which I will share more about in another post.) Imagine my excitement while in Paris, enjoying the flakiest and butteriest croissant I had in a very long time. The combination of sitting outside the cafe enjoying the beautiful architecture of Paris on a sunny day, accompanied by a cappuccino, is heaven to me.

copyright

I must admit, at times, it was hard to sit still because my mind would go on autopilot, trying to figure out the next thing to be more efficient with my time. Sounds familiar? This is what we do in the States - just rushing to the next thing, cramming our schedules to fit all the sightseeing, or thinking about the next thing instead of being present and enjoying the moment. Well, no worries, I am not like that, but living in the Bay Area in California has conditioned me at some level to be thinking about the next thing.

This is not just about food; it is about allowing ourselves to pause, slow down, and be mindful for a moment. It was wonderful to have the freedom to comfortably sit at one of many beautiful cafes and enjoy my cappuccino in a ceramic mug instead of having my cappuccino in a paper cup while walking to my next destination. I kept telling myself, "Wait a second, I am on vacation; there is no need to rush!." This is one of the behaviors I started to admire in French culture: the importance of high-quality food and being present for it.

You can notice things you did not see before when you are present. For example, I had taken for granted the flakiness of a croissant. I learned that the best croissants have the most flakiness and straight shape.

Studying while having a typical French breakfast (copyright)

Croissant's SHAPE

Buttery croissants are straight and made with real butter—more than 80% fat butter. Half-moon-shaped croissants are made of margarine or oil.

copyright

Croissant's FLAKINESS

The more messy, the better! Delicious croissants are so flaky. Before this last trip to Paris, I always found it annoying to have crumbs all over me while eating a croissant. However, I learned this was evidence of the croissant's quality, so remember: Instead of fighting with the crumbs, accept them because you are not just eating a croissant; it is art.

copyright

Now, the best croissants are here! La Maison d' Isabelle is located near St. Germain Street in the Latin Quarter. I indulged in various pastries here, and they were all divine! On this particular day, the mission was to eat croissants while avoiding the crowds, so I made sure to be at the boulangerie by 7:30 am to beat the rush. If you are visiting Paris, you must visit La Maison d' Isabelle!

copyright

I hope this summary was helpful to you. Next time you purchase a croissant, remember to get the straight shapped croissant, as it is an initial indication of a good quality croissant. During my creative sabbatical, I adventured into baking and cooking classes in France, and I found the amount of precision and detail put into making the best meals amusing. I learned to appreciate and enjoy the process of baking and cooking more.

À bientôt!