There’s nothing quite so accessible in French culture as the croissant. Flaky, buttery, crescent-shaped, it’s a delight that screams "Je suis Français!". It’s the edible Eiffel Tower, it’s the culinary Mona Lisa (Italian painting, but you’ll find it in the Louvre), it’s the ultimate symbol of French panache. Nevertheless, hold onto your baguettes, this quintessential symbol of French cuisine, the croissant, has origins that are less Parisian and more… Austrian. Sacré bleu!
The croissant’s true origin story starts in Vienna. Enter the kipfel: a crescent shaped pastry, enjoyed since at least the 13th century. The kipfel is sturdy, dense and…made for dunking…into coffee, not delicately nibbled while reading Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu.
Legend has it that during the 17th century Ottoman siege of Vienna, bakers working through the night heard the Turks tunnelling under the city walls. The trusty (maybe even crusty) bread makers raised the alarm and Vienna was saved. To commemorate this victory over these insidious attackers, pastries were baked in the shape of the Ottoman crescent. Tasty, politically symbolic and an excellent snack; victory never tasted so good.
Fast forward to 19th century Paris, a Viennese baker named August Zang opened a boulangerie (that’s bakery for us non-francophones) and introduced the kipfel to the Parisian public. Naturally, the French did what they do best: they took a great idea, added more butter and made it chic. Voilà, the kipfel transformed into the croissant — flaky, delicate and layered through a laborious process of laminating dough with dairy sourced fat. Because if there's one thing the French know it's that butter makes everything better. The croissant became a staple of the Parisian breakfast and a national treasure was born.
The croissant’s journey is a perfect example of how cultures influence and enrich one another. It started as an Austrian creation, adopted and elevated by the French, and has since been embraced worldwide. Each culture adds its own twist —chocolate in Belgium, almonds in Italy, and in Australia…Vegemite perhaps?
But isn’t that the beauty of cultural exchange? One culture plants the seed, another waters it and soon, a deliciously flaky pastry tree grows. It's a reminder that the things we cherish often come from a rich tapestry of shared experiences and contributions.
This week here at Eddies, we celebrated a number of multicultural traditions. On Monday, St Patrick was remembered with copious amounts of green ice-cream, crafted one scoop at a time with vanilla ice-cream and dipped in lime jelly crystals. While Friday, along with the rest of Australia, saw us acknowledge and celebrate Harmony Day. Our young men were treated to activities with a variety of ethnic influences, Lolly Lei Making, Arts and Crafts (bracelet making, colouring in), Origami, Didgeridoo playing and a Polynesian Punch to sample called Otai.
As a school in the Edmund Rice Tradition our version of multiculturalism comes in the form of our Charter and our Touchstone of Inclusive Community. Just like the evolution of the croissant, our identity is shaped by inclusion, acceptance and authentic social exchange. Imagine Australia without the contributions of the many cultures that have become so much a part of our story; multiculturalism, Inclusive Community, enriched consideration, compassion and creativity.
For our young men we celebrate Harmony Day because it fosters curiosity, resilience and a broader worldview. Just as the French took the Austrian kipfel and made it their own, we at Eddies take the many cultural influences in our community adding them to create our own unique flavour.
Bon appétit…mate!
Farewell Uncle Joe Kirk
After twenty-four years at Eddies as our Indigenous Liaison Officer, we farewell Uncle Joe Kirk. Uncle Joe has been a powerhouse for advocacy and understanding, not only here at Eddies but also in the wider community. His immense knowledge and warm approachability have enriched many lives and helped us make giant strides in our journey towards authentic reconciliation. Uncle Joe, we wish you all the best for your retirement.
