Marie Antoinette the last queen of France is a myth. Her name alone conjures up images of delicate pastel pastries whipped cream and of course towering cakes. Most people know her from the falsely attributed “let them eat cake” quote that was used to spark the French Revolution. But this is far from the end of the Austrian-born queen’s food-based lore.
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Why is Marie Antoinette so controversial? – Carolyn Harris
Some history buffs will also note that Marie Antoinette also had a habit of eating out-of-season fruit thanks to the extensive vegetable gardens at Versailles. But have you heard the story that Marie Antoinette is responsible for introducing the croissant to France? Legend has it that the royal brought the crescent-shaped Kipfel to France to ease her homesickness for Austria in the 1700s sparking a trend for the crescent-shaped prototype throughout France.
While this anecdote like that old cake quote is ripe for a good story it simply isn’t true. While the modern croissant may have its origins in Marie Antoinette it didn’t make it to France until after Marie Antoinette had departed the stage of history. Rather we have an Austrian baker August Zang to thank. Zang introduced the Austrian delicacy to France in 1839 when he opened a bakery serving kipfel in Paris. It would be a long and winding road however before they finally reached their buttery flaky form.
There are several competing stories about the origins of the croissant but what is certain is that the baked good originated in Austria. Some attribute the origins of the croissant to 1683 when Viennese troops managed to stop an Ottoman invasion of the Austrian city. According to legend the bakers in Vienna were responsible for this victory as they were the ones who caught the Ottoman troops digging a tunnel into the city. The crescent-shaped kipfel was created in response to this victory in the shape of the crescent moon the symbol of the Turkish flag. So in essence eating a kipfel was akin to “eating” your opponent (metaphorically speaking). The kipfel was therefore a symbol of victory and disrespect for the would-be conquerors. This is of course a great story but it is simply not true.
