The Croissant

The New York Times reports that the iconic French breakfast item, the croissant, will henceforth be made in a straight, rather than curved, shape–at least in several important outlets in Britain. The Brits say it’s easier to spread preserves on a croissant when it’s straight. (Bloody hell, jam is such a chore!). The word croissant refers to the pastry’s crescent shape. Croissants came to France from Austria, probably in the 1830’s.

During the French Renaissance, a sommelier’s job involved risking his life.

Answer: True.

During the French Renaissance (a period between the 15th and early 17th centuries), a sommelier (so-mel-YAY) bought the title and paid to become part of the retinue of the king or of a nobleman. The sommelier was responsible for stocking food and wine for journeys in a carriage called a somme. However, simply stocking provisions was not the sommelier’s most important job—keeping his lord alive was. By taking a bite of each dish and a sip from every goblet of wine before it was presented to his lord, the sommelier performed a life-saving service. Needless to say, while being a sommelier isn't easy, modern-day somms do not work in quite such hazardous conditions.

Wine … changing even as we taste it, delivers a message with meaning only in our response. If we are in the right key when we receive it, our eyes will shine and we shall radiate pleasure.

—Gerald Asher
American writer, The Pleasures of Wine

The Croissant

Get WineSpeed