Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Le Croissant


I'm just back from my long weekend in Oslo and the first thing I did was to buy a croissant and photograph it for today's CDP theme day: "a typical breakfast". In France, we don't eat croissants every morning, (well, some do, but face the same problems as Knut in Berlin!), but more on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Not all croissants are good, however. Some are not even worth the trip to La Boulangerie, but some are to die for. Just for you my dear visitors, here is the hit parade of the best croissants in Paris (make sure you go to the bottom of the article). You will see that Pierre Hermé is the best, apparently, but I've never tried any of his croissants... yet.

96 CDP bloggers participate in this theme day today so if you want to see what people eat fro Breakfast in Manila, Moscow or Rabaul (which, as you all know is located in Papua New Guinea!), well pay them a visit.

Saint Paul (MN), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - New York City (NY), USA - Tel Aviv, Israel - Hyde, UK - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Mainz, GermanyStockholm, Sweden - Paderborn, Germany - Singapore, Singapore - Haninge, Sweden - Nottingham, UK - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Manila, Philippines - Boston (MA), USA - Seoul, Korea - Singapore, Singapore - Joplin (MO), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Paris, France - Sequim (WA), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Boston (MA), USA - Chennai, India - Madison (WI), USA - Baton Rouge (LA), USA - Toulouse, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mexico (DF), Mexico - La Antigua, Guatemala - Selma (AL), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Lubbock (TX), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Sheki, Azerbaijan - Sydney, Australia - Mumbai, India - Seoul, South Korea - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - New Orleans (LA), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Villigen, Switzerland - Montréal (QC), Canada - Stayton (OR), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Moscow, Russia - Springfield (MO), USA - Inverness (IL), usa - Arlington (VA), USA - Cologne (NRW), Germany - Anderson (SC), USA - Oslo, Norway - Saint-Petersburg, Russian FederationManila, Philippines - Kajang (Selangor), Malaysia - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Stavanger, Norway - Bastia, France - Hong Kong, China - Wailea (HI), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Sydney, Australia - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Kansas City (MO), USA - Grenoble, France - Paris, France - Evry, France - Saigon, Vietnam - Prague, Czech Republic - Cape Town, South Africa - Brookville (OH), USA - Brussels, Belgium - San Diego (CA), USA - Wellington, New Zealand - Newcastle (NSW), Australia - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Shanghai, China - Zurich, Switzerland

55 comments:

  1. hahaahahaha that's typical france. Good shot. i'm no big fan of croissants but this one looks very nice!!

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  2. Mmmmm. To be honest, I'm happy just to find a good baguette. A good croissant is too much to ask for!

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  3. I like croissants for breakfast. I also dont eat it every morning..maybe once a year:) But its just because I prefer the Hungarian csiga:) Anyway..the main point is that a breakfast for me has to be sweet.

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  4. personally I find croissants a but flaky but then I've probably never had a real good one -- prefer a nice piece of toast.

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  5. Shows how life seems at Cheltenham at the moment - i had no idea it was theme day.
    I do love croissants, but like you, would not eat them often. The one in your pic looks gorgeous. How do we non-French recognise the best croissants, Eric? What should we look for?
    mmmm i could do with one right now.

    Love your use of 'to die for' by the way!

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  6. Le Croissant defines France, or at least a small part of France, in the minds of the world ... I like "Le Cordon Bleu" in your photo as well. I'll have to Google it to find out why it sounds so familiar.

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  7. Oooooooooooooooooh, that pic would make a nice backround on some poor homesick expat's computer, I think ;-D

    I miss the chausson aux pommes a lot more than the croissant (sigh)(sigh) and no, I don't think apple turn-over is quite the same thing)

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  8. I am sure I will be attacked by the French militia when I say that my favorite croissants come from Sam's bakery right here in Lexington. I freeze them. Take them from the freezer as needed. Cut them while still frozen like a bun. Toast themin the toaster oven. That and coffee along with some of my homemade strawberry jam make a perfect breakfast. In Paris we love the ones from Miss Manon bakery chain.

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  9. I eat at Kayser all the time because it is near my layover hotel, but their croissants? fahgedaboutit(crazy about their nut bread,have 3 loaves in my freezer now in PHX)...Laduree is #24 on the list??....and after Paul's?????? Sacre Bleu. Off with Figaro's head.

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  10. P.S. After just discussing the blog with my husband he said "Pierre Herme? Isn't that the place I had to take a loan out just to buy a macaron?"
    Well, yes, but you have to go at least once!

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  11. Pierre Herme is pricey; however, I've had their hot chocolate (extremely rich but I had to try it...love Laduree, too) but I've not had their croissants. BTW...welcome back!

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  12. This one's from Le Cordon Bleu, I guess it must be very good too!

    Le Cordon Bleu is a famous cooking school right?

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  13. Just as I hoped! Mmmmm buttery croissants.

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  14. Good croissant expecially with a good italian espresso coffè!
    Rome Daily is on

    Ciao Eric

    Giovanni

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  15. Croisants just don't taste the same here as in France!

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  16. Hmm, it looks a little lonely. Did you eat one already?

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  17. I could easily live on croissants, fruit and coffee. Just love them, Eric.

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  18. Ok, so harkening back to the horse discussion, and seeing the croissant:

    What do vegetarian zombies eat? "Grains...grains..."

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  19. Yummy shot Eric, but I prefer a pain au chocolat pour le petit dejeuner.

    Yes Keropok Man, Le Cordon Bleu is a famous cooking school for aspiring chefs. For aspiring tourists (or locals) who just want to say that they've been there, you can even take a 3 hour course on something like deserts, wines, cheese, etc.

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  20. Your breakfast looks delicious! But what about poor little Knute? No more croissants EVER? So sad. Any bloggers in the vicinity should run over and sneak him a few, preferably with chocolate. Perhaps a nice cafe au lait, too, since he is still a baby.

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  21. Yes anulla, you're right. Nobody seems to have noticed Knut's plight. Maybe since this is a Paris (French) blog, we should go on strike! ;-)

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  22. I agree with kate...I don't know why, but they are nothing like I had in France. perhaps i don't know where to buy them here in the states

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  23. I can understand this lavendarlady. And you know what? Sometimes you have to take what is at hand and crave the things you can't have for that next holiday in France. Anyway, eggs and bacon aren't so bad either. In fact...

    A boiled egg is hard to beat...

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  24. I'm soooo pleased this was your post - it is quintessential French. You are right kate - the only place to eat them is in Paris.

    Eric - please have one for me this morning!!!!

    Here in Rabaul I have to eat what falls from the trees and there isn't a croissant in sight!!!!

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  25. Fascinating to me to read that the French don't necessarily eat a croissant everyday. I'd long thought this. I've included a link to you today on Menton DP so others can read about croissants. For Monte Carlo DP, I could only find people drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette!

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  26. well, this is a predictable post but there is more ...a good link. Our supermart croissants are nothing to 'write home about' but are ok occasionally

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  27. I share your concern about Knut, once you've had good croissants how could you live without them! Here you can buy things masquerading as croissants in the grocery store, but you must find a french bakery to get the real thing.

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  28. Nice photo of a croissant breakfast. Never had one in my life. So I might be missing something.

    Brookville Daily Photo-Theme Day

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  29. A boiled egg is hard to beat! Michael comes up with the most priceless witticisms ever. For folks in the U.S. Go to Sam's and treat yourself to a dozen croissants.

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  30. mmmm boiled eggs, Michael. Runny of course. Soldiers. White bread, even. Tea. Meet you at the cafe in an hour.

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  31. Now, the top croissanteries is a thing worth knowing!

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  32. Le classique du classique, le croissant à la Française, tout simplement le meilleur

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  33. I am sure that i would fail any kind of "Frenchness" test, because I do not like croissants. But a good baguette... That's another story!

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  34. Abraham, one thing I can say: yes, if you never had a croissant, you're missing something!!

    Hi everyone, I'm catching up on my work but I read your comments today and already visited some blogs; some yummy breakfasts around the world...

    Oh, BTW, what's the average cholesterol rate per person in the UK?? LOL

    Will be back.

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  35. When I was in Paris I saw everyone eat crossiants with butter and then dip it in their coffee that had cream in it.....I saw this so often I did try it.....it must be an aquired taste.

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  36. I took a two hour demonstration course at Le Cordon Bleu June 20th(You get to eat what they cook and are also given a glass of wine.) but they do not sell food, they sell their cookbooks.
    Eric, did you take their breadbaking workshop and photographed the croissant on the linen or did you, heaven forbid, STEAL the serviette from somewhere?LOL.

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  37. Croissants are indeed a wonderful thing to have for breakfast. It's unbelievably difficult to find a "good" croissant in the U.S. (in my opinion!). I have duly noted your Paris croissant list and will be armed with it when I visit Paris someday!

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  38. Don't go and spoil it, Eric...?

    lol was just on my way to the supermarket and thought i might buy some croissants! They won't be like your boulangerie's, but hey...

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  39. Phx, actually, I think someone forgot this serviette one day when bringing food for a party.

    I never took any courses there (I'm the kind of cooks that defrost things... oooooh I can already hear stones being thrown at me!!)but I've heard of it. I'll try to go and take a pic one day.

    Lynn? Did you buy croissants?

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  40. Eric, you say you bought "a croissant"? So what are those crumbs from, eh? Well, thank you for saving one for us! A wonderful photo, with the towel giving it even more a sense of place. Two of my student's parents in San Francisco owned a French bakery and made the best brioche. I became addicted to those for breakfast for quite some time. Croissants became a "hit" food here in the states in the 1980s, but the fad was replaced by bagles, and now I don't know what the "hit" breakfast food is elsewhere, but here in Seattle it is currently Top Pot doughnuts. . .not my cup of tea, I'm afraid.
    -Kim

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  41. This does look delicious, but I would usually have one for lunch. Throw some veggies and cheese on it and YUM!

    Port Angeles Daily Photo

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  42. heheh im not shock..... its soooo french...yummmy need to drop by to french baker this week. hehe

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  43. Oui bien sur, Eric! Delicieux! J'suis une petite francaise maintenant; j'pense que oui. Mais ce soir mon fils, il m'a demande le BURGER ! Affreux n'est-ce pas? Alors, je l'ai fait moi-meme; c'est mieux. Ohh Eric, j'ai envie d'habitude en Paris!

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  44. Je m'excuse, c'est mouvemente a Cheltenham, beaucoup de travaille finalement!

    I hope no-one is offended that i use some French, tis a rare treat for me! It's the fault of the croissant.

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  45. I'm learning a lot about croissants today!

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  46. > Johnny. "I am sure I will be attacked by the French militia when I say that my favorite croissants come from Sam's bakery right here in Lexington." YES! LOL

    > phx-cdg. ""Pierre Herme? Isn't that the place I had to take a loan out just to buy a macaron?" LOL. And your husband forgot "and where I had to wait on line 45 minutes to be granted the right to buy my pastry..." Yes, that's the one!

    > Zanabel. No but I ate it right after I took the photo LOL!

    > Michael. "A boiled egg is hard to beat..." That was funny!

    > Jules. "Here in Rabaul I have to eat what falls from the trees and there isn't a croissant in sight!!!!". Stop, I'll start crying!

    > Lynn. "Mais ce soir mon fils, il m'a demande le BURGER ! Affreux n'est-ce pas?" I disagree! There are times for croissants and times for burgers, that's all...

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  47. I suppose, Eric, yes. I do secretly like them..;) For me, today, it's the croissant. I ate it with jam.

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  48. This is utterly appropriate! Always a treat!

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  49. Les Croissants are very popular in Guatemala. They make them with ham and cheese inside or chocolate. You can find them plain too.

    Les Croissants found here in La Antigua Guatemala are much better looking and they look more like horns.

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  50. That clip for Le Figaro was amazing! I think viewing it should be a basic requirement for anyone immigrating to France. Helps one understand the French.

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  51. Somebody please mail Abraham Lincoln a croissant!!

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  52. J'habite en alsace mais je dois avouer qu'à chaque passage à Paris le détour par l'une des boutiques de P.Hermé est OBLIGATOIRE. Ses croissants sont vraiment à se damner (et le reste de ses patisseries aussi).Pour les plus courrageux qui habitent loin de Paris vous pouvez toujour essayer sa recette de pâte feuilleté (http://kscades.free.fr/Recette%20Pate%20feuilletee%20inversee%20de%20Pierre%20Herme.htm). Il la donne dans plusieurs de ses ouvrages. Ah quand je pense à mon pauvre grand-frère éxilé aux Etats-Unis et privé de ces bonnes choses...

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  53. I've been wanting a good croissant for such a long time, or a nice pain au chocolat, or may both... oh how I miss Paris...

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