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Are Croissants dying out in France?


just john

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Yes, my local boulangerie makes disgusting ones!

I have been carrying out a selective grading of croissants from all over the Vendee. Whenever I am out exploring somewhere, I try and buy a croissant to take back to base and heat up for breakfast next morning. Then I award points out of 5.

I realise it should have been out of 10, now, as 5 does not allow enough subtlety in my markings.

Only a couple have been awarded top marks so far.

Angela
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Loiseau, someone after my own heart. The best I have ever had, anywhere in France was in 1985 in Les Carroz, in the Haute Savoie. Absolutely delicious, I remember them well.

I do the same with scones now in England. Not to be taken home,eaten fresh and not frozen in a café. Currently heading my 'best' list is a little café in Rosedale Abbey, Graze on the Green, wonderful.

In France the ones from SuperU were far better than any of the bakers in our village, and we had three bakers. If croissant eating is dying out, well, I always thought that they were expensive and money is tight these days. Also they are full of fat, which people don't want when watching their weight. I always prefered a warm croissant aux amandes, or even a pain au chocolate to a plain croissant.

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[quote user="just john "]I didn't know Marie Antoinette brought the croissant to France?, apparently as a 14-year old bride hankering for comfort food from her native Austria, hence the French term viennoiserie. [/quote]

Thank you for that info John.  I never knew that.

 

The best croissants we've ever had were chez Stohrer, rue Montorgueil, Paris.  Absolutely delicious!

http://www.stohrer.fr/

http://loiclemeur.com/france/2007/06/le_meilleur_cro.html

 

Every time someone puts a Daily Telegraph link I can't get it, dont't know why.  But I certainly hope the croissant is not dying out!

If you buy the little viennoiseries in the supermarkets (in those plastic boxes) with tiny croissants, pains aux raisins and pains au chocolat, the croissants are far better than the larger ones.

 

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Not only is the viennoiserie from Austria, but I have read that some austrian pastry chefs went to Denmark........... hence lots of these pastries are known as 'dannish' in some countries now.

Two of the bakers in my old village make their own croissants, the other doesn't, one cannot tell. Each seems to have their own speciality though, so all were worth buying from for something or other.

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They do need to be "au beurre" though!

Some of my best ones to date have been from the villages of Aizenay and Coex.

I have had pretty good ones in London too. Never tried Waitrose's yet though; I'll have to give them a whirl sometime! Thanks for the tip.

Angela

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[quote user="idun"]Need to be 'au beurre'.............. yes, I would say that that was imperative. If I'm going to have something very very bad for me, I may as well have the best taste possible.[:-))][/quote]

[:D]  Absolutely!

Mind you, I'm another who isn't too keen on croissants. I do enjoy a good pain au chocolat; one place in town is especially good at them, and is worth going a few extra metres for.

We have quite a few boulangeries in town - I think we counted to about 16 once, which seems far too many for a small town - and as far as I know, all make their own everything. My favourites are the 'Provencal', mentioned above for their pain au chocolat, Nougatine, which does very good cakes and a delicious pain aux noix, and M. Eton (we call him that as he worked at Eton College many years ago, and sometimes enjoys reminiscing!) who makes delicious bio breads of all sorts.

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LOL, a few extra metres for a few extra centimeters[:D]

I remember being told that if there were certain 'signs' outside a boulangerie, you could tell if the baker baked themselves or got the dough etc brought in.

I simply cannot remember which signs they are now. My friend's brother bought a boulangerie and used this system.

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Thanks CA. I'm not sure if it was that particular sign, but most certainly something along those lines.

 

I hope that people knew about this, I sort of feel like I have just said that there is no father xmas![:(]

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[quote user="idun"]Thanks CA. I'm not sure if it was that particular sign, but most certainly something along those lines.

I hope that people knew about this, I sort of feel like I have just said that there is no father xmas![:(][/quote]

The use of the names "Boulangerie" and "Boulanger" are subject to legislation.

A boulanger must undertake the kneading the dough, its fermentation, its shaping and the baking of the bread.

In other words, no frozen bread dough, no half-baked bread and no bought-from factory bread.

More info HERE and HERE.

The sign most commonly used by an "Artisan Boulanger" around here is this one:

Of course, it doesn't guarantee tasty croissants, but it gives an indication of the dedication of the boulanger...

Our village has one baker and I prefer to drive 15km to buy croissants when I want some...

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2 out of the 3 bakers I use most often can be seen mixing, kneading etc, one from inside the shop (M. Eton) and the other (lovely pain aux noix) in plain view from a large window from the pavement - quite a draw for tourists! The other (my favourite for pain au chocolat) has his walls plastered with awards for his goodies. Another boulanger always has long queues waiting to enter his small shop, but makes a very small range of breads only; if I want several items I never go to him; if it's just baguettes maybe I occasionally visit him.

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Christine

Try this link:

http://www.m6bonus.fr/videos-_missions-4/videos-100_mag-2260/emission_du_09_02_2012/video-boulangers_patissiers_font_ils_vraiment_tout_eux_meme_-106126.html

I keep watching it as I've fallen in love with the presenter :)

regards

Stephen & Max

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http://www.m6bonus.fr/videos-_missions-4/videos-100_mag-2260/emission_du_09_02_2012/video-boulangers_patissiers_font_ils_vraiment_tout_eux_meme_-106126.html

Hello Mr. Fridge and thank you very much because that is the programme I was trying to find (good old 100% Mag).  I finally managed to get the one on my previous link, same subject, but shorter.

Hoping you are all well et un gros bisou à Maxou.  Did he have his croissant this morning?   [:D]


 

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[quote user="Loiseau"]Yes, my local boulangerie makes disgusting ones!

I have been carrying out a selective grading of croissants from all over the Vendee. Whenever I am out exploring somewhere, I try and buy a croissant to take back to base and heat up for breakfast next morning. Then I award points out of 5.

I realise it should have been out of 10, now, as 5 does not allow enough subtlety in my markings.

Only a couple have been awarded top marks so far.

Angela[/quote]

Can't let this one pass Angela.  [:D]

There are two very good boulangeries in Moutiers les Mauxfaits. "Au beurre" to die for.

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  • 3 months later...
Our village shop/depot de pain has stopped supplying fresh croissants this year, apparently due to lack of demand. Instead, they now have the prepacked ones, complete with preservatives.

We have just bought a pack of 10 from a Lidl in England for about half the price of the 6 pack in our French shop and marked "produit de France". Smaller and not as good as fresh ones but not at all bad after 5 minutes in the oven.

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