Bon Voyage

Reflections on CROISSANTS…

I’ve heard it said that we all have two nations. Our own. And France. This might explain my personal desire to master my inner ‘French-ness,’ particularly in matters of etiquette and culture…can you really point to anything more quintessentially Parisian than a flaky-buttery-baked-to-perfection-melt-in-your-mouth croissant? Just thinking about that crescent shaped pastry makes my tummy grumble with anticipation and joy. YUM!

I don’t need to tell you (but I will) that even the most reliable of specimens found outside of France pale in comparison to what you will taste when you are actually sitting at a local café or standing in a pâtisserie or boulangerie. What can I say? I’ve heard there is a difference in the composition of the wheat. Perhaps bakers are trained to handle dough differently. Or maybe it’s just the fact that you are thousands of miles away from home. There is no denying that a fresh-out-of-the-oven croissant is an experience that your taste buds will remain in your taste bud memory banks forrrr-everrr.

There is an old baker’s adage: ‘Le pain, ça se respecte’ that translates into roughly ‘Respect the bread’. That surely goes for croissants as well; so, before you go charging into the first local establishment and demand a Coke and croissant for your cultural repast (…what? I’ve SEEN it done), here are three observations toward making this palate-pleasing experience a truly authentic moment:

1. Most croissants are baked in the early hours of the morning; therefore, they are at the peak of freshness before 10:30 am. It is a small wonder that they are considered a breakfast food by locals. For the very best experience, go directly to a pâtisserie. Order this pastry at lunch or dinner and two things happen: a) you give yourself away as a silly tourist; and, b) you are likely to be confronted with stale (if any) product. Consider yourself warned.

2. There are two acceptable ways to handle a croissant: First, you can tear off small bites starting and one end and working your way to the other. This works particularly well if you like jam on your pastry. Second, you may take your napkin and wrap it around one end of the pastry and eat it down from that end. This is a suitable method for dunking your croissant into a hot liquid such as coffee or hot chocolate. When you get down to the last little bit, remove the napkin and pop it delicately into your mouth. Note: The angle of attack is always from the end…going at a croissant from the middle weakens its structure and is likely to have the whole mess fall apart in your lap, shirt and everywhere else in the vicinity.

3. The French seem to be pretty sniffy about adding butter to something that already is baked with TONS of butter, so I’d say adding butter is sort of a no-no. Jam, on the other hand, seems to be fine, as long as you use the method of tearing small bites and using your knife to apply the jam to each individual piece. Anything else you begin to pile on this pastry (like cheese or meat) makes it look like a sandwich and now we are talking using forks and knives because it’s no longer a croissant and true locals insist on attacking these things with the full fusillade of cutlery at their disposal. Trust me, there is no such thing as a ‘Croissanwich’ on the McDonald’s menu in Paris.

Armed with this knowledge, you can now concoct your own croissant consummation scheme. It’s up to you how you choose to enjoy your bit of Parisian pastry. The best part is that you know enough to tell what side the consumers play on: Home Team or Visitors.

Honor your need for a genuine journey of discovery. Life is too short to stay in one place, so come taste the world with us! At Bon Voyage our goal is to give women the small group experience they expect and serve…and have the journey of a lifetime in the process! Join us for 9 days that will last forever in your heart and mind. Only 3 openings left for our October 22-30, 2017 “Come to Paris for the First Time. Again” Voyage. For more information, go to www.BonVoyageLaFemme.com or call Anita Soto or Sara R Mullis
at 225-2-VOYAGE (225-286-9243)