I’m supposed to be writing about father’s day, or at least that is the post I had planned, but something horrible is happening and as a croissant lover, I feel I need to do something.
Let us begin with this simple equation: a croissant + a donut = nothing at all unless this is perhaps some sort of sick joke.
A croissant is a croissant, and a donut is a donut and I’m all for experimentation and fusion and the like, but when it comes to a croissant, don’t mess with it. I really think the pain au chocolat is already pushing it a bit. I love croissants for their flaky buttery simplicity. No sweetness is needed. If you must add a little jam go ahead, but at least enjoy the first bite plain.
The croissant is layer upon layer of buttery, stretchy, softness with a crackling flaky outer skin. It should be enjoyed with a cup of coffee, bowl of café au lait, or chocolat. You can’t be rushed. You have to take your time when you pull off the ends and work your way across or as I do, and peel your way around the croissant until you pop in that last buttery, springy inner bite. You must be seated and have the time to linger if you’re going to have a croissant. There might be a magazine, or a section of some well-written newspaper strewn across the table near you as you thoughtfully pick up flakes of the outer layer with your moist, but not greasy finger.
The donut on the other hand is a sugary, sticky, light, and oily disc. More often than not it is sweeter than it needs to be. It can be eaten on the run between sips of coffee in a styrofoam cup. There are no layers to worry about. No beginning. No end. It is a treat you pick up on the weekend on the way to your child’s game.
Both are indulgent in their own way, but if you put them together, I’m sure you are crossing some kind of boundary that should not be approached let alone crossed. Just say, “No!” to the cronut or the dosant. Do not support such recklessness!
Where do I find the perfect croissant?
PB Boulangerie
Clear Flour Bread
Formaggio Kitchen
(for the perfect-sized Formaggio Croissant or pick up Iggy’s here)
Café Vanille
Iggy’s Bread of the World
Where can I get a good donut around here?