August Zang, an Austrian artillery officer, is credited with bringing the croissant to France when he opened his own Viennese bakery in Paris. (Some say it was Marie Antoinette who brought the croissant to FranceâŠ)
The earliest French reference to a croissant he found was among the âfantasy or luxury breadsâ in Payenâs Des substances alimentaires, 1853.
January 30th is National Croissant Day.
The Croissant became the French national product in 1920.
The Croissant started as a luxury product, but by the end of the nineteenth century, it was middle-class (the rich preferred a good brioche).
Before the modern croissant, puff pastry was used as a garnish or shell, not to eat on its own.