Monday, January 23, 2006

What do Adolf Hitler and Croissants have in common? (update)

They are both associated with other countries (Germany and France respectively), but they are both from Austria. In fact, the same city as well: Vienna.

Hitler did not become a German citizen until 1932, when he was 43. Croissants are a viennoiserie, though associated in everyone's mind with Paris/France (who can think of one without the other?). If you do in fact want a good authentic French bread, it is not the croissant you must turn to, but brioche. It is a deliciously sweet and soft bread, and you will not be disappointed.

Also you know when Marie Antoinette infamously said "If they don't have bread, let them all eat cake", and then got her head chopped off for her troubles? Actually she didn't say cake, she said they should eat brioche. So you see, a fine historical bread too.

While I am at it, I would like to note another historical food quotation -remmeber good looking smooth talking JF Kennedy in Berlin, height of cold war, and he expresses his solidarity with the city's population - "Ich Bin Ein Berliner"?

"I am a jelly doughnut." No wonder everyone cheered.