Beloved Baked Good

Buttery deliciousness. That's my definition for croissants. It doesn't get better than pairing the melt in your mouth paper-thin layers with your favorite coffee (or tea). Done just right, they have a perfectly delicate crunch to them and just the slightest hint of sweet. According to Wikipedia (because where else would you go to research croissants?), they are in a class of baked goods called viennoiserie, which use yeast-levened dough and the technique of laminating--basically what makes for those delicious buttery layers of these pastry-like treats. While most identifiable as a French treat, the beloved croissant seems to have baked good roots in Austria. 

My love for--borderline infatuation with--croissants began a decade ago. I left Wheeling to pursue a new role in Marketing with the law firm I work for. This move left me living in New Jersey and working in New York City. Once settled, every day's morning commute began early and ended up being about a two hour extension of overnight sleep--just with a shower in between. After boarding my Academy bus, I'd be whisked into the City and dropped off at the Port Authority bus terminal where I caught the E train. Making my way up from the subway station, I most often went to the food truck outside of my office building on W. 53rd Street. Out of my two years of this routine, I didn't miss many mornings at the food truck. And every morning, I got the same thing--a croissant and coffee with cream and sugar served in the infamous Greek-themed coffee cup. The very nice Middle Eastern men who ran the truck nicknamed me "petite croissant." After I left New York to return to Wheeling, they asked my commuting partner where the petite croissant had gone. I've been called many things, but this was not one I was expecting. 

While I have moved on to much more nutritional breakfast fare, I rediscovered my love of this baked good this year right in Wheeling. Good Mansion Wines, a fantastic wine shop and eatery in town, makes a mean croissant; so, if you're ever looking for a delicious way to start your weekend morning, are a sucker for a delightful baked good, and happen to be nearby, make sure to grab one. Yum!