August Zang and the French Croissant: How Viennoiserie Came to France - Paperback

by Jim Chevallier (Author)

This is the THIRD EDITION of this book, which tells the story of how August Zang, a nineteenth century Austrian entrepreneur, introduced the croissant to France and then returned to Austria to transform journalism in that country
Soon after this work appeared in 2009, writers on the croissant quickly began to reference August Zang's role in bringing its original to Paris. Not all abandoned old myths; more than one tried to integrate the better-documented version with old myths about the siege of Vienna and Marie-Antoinette. But overall, the book has had its intended role of establishing Zang's place in French bread history.
Other developments have ensued. Two writers in Austria wrote their own book about the Austrian original, crediting an earlier edition of this book for inspiring it. A French newspaper has cited it in (a completely illusory) connection with the chocolatine. Other periodicals have referenced it in various degrees. At least one student based his doctorate on it.
Inevitably too new material has appeared, including substantial new information and a variety of older recipes for the croissant. Rereading earlier prose has suggested some reworking. It seems high time then, fifteen years later, for a third edition.
Among the additions here are a more detailed look at Zang's 1842 patent, more about progress toward the modern croissant, a further look at the bakery's history after Zang, and appendices including older recipes for the croissant, period summaries of Zang's life and an attempt to address errors about the history of the pain au chocolat and the chocolatine falsely credited to earlier editions of this work.