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There are many food items around the world that we may know of but struggle to pronounce their names correctly. For instance, the term ‘Bruschetta’ is often pronounced incorrectly by many people. While the right way to pronounce it is ‘broo-skeh-tah’, most of us would still say ‘broo-shetta’. The French croissant too falls under the same category. The puff-like, flaky pastry has caught the fancy of many foodies on the internet, and has become extremely popular around the world.
It is not just delicious, as you’ll also find pictures of this treat being posted on social media often. The croissant is also a favourite of many Bollywood celebrities, who like dunking this light and fluffy delight into their coffee mugs. Anushka Sharma, for instance, has dedicated an Instagram post to it. But have you ever wondered how exactly the word ‘croissant’ is pronounced? Should we go the French way or say it with a desi twist? Industrialist Anand Mahindra has a hilarious take on this dilemma.
In a recent tweet, the business tycoon shares how a simple ‘croissant’ is pronounced in so many different ways. While some called it ‘Kwa-son’, others pronounced it as ‘Cruss-ant’. However, Indians were clear about the pronunciation and had a simple word for it - ‘Crocin’. “Pronunciations are made simple in India. Mera Bharat mahan”, read the post, adding, “Well, at least, my French son-in-law agrees that the croissant is an effective remedy for all sorts of aches and pains... And we Indians have mastered abbreviated software programming languages... So why not”. Take a look:
The hilarious post has garnered over 4.5k likes and several hundred comments and reactions. “This one is too hilarious! Trust us Indians”, laughed one user, while another said, “Crocin it is!”. “Next time you find yourself at a boulangerie, order a croissant with confidence in your linguistic ability and respect for the culture that enables you to enjoy all that flaky goodness”, wrote another user in the comments.
For the unversed, croissant is a light, buttery, flaky puff pastry. A typical croissant is made with yeast-risen dough. The dough is coated with butter before being rolled. It is folded several times in a process known as lamination. The dough is then sliced into triangles, formed into a crescent shape, and baked. The flaky texture and airy shape of croissants is due to the laminating process.
The pastry gets its name from its form, as ‘croissant’ is French for ‘crescent’. Although this flaky pastry is commonly identified from France, and is a staple in most French boulangeries (bakeries), food historians claim it originated in Austria. As per them, it was introduced to France by two Austrian bakers - August Zang and Earnest Schwartzer - between 1837 and 1839. The word ‘croissant’ became popular in the mid-19th Century and numerous bakers around Paris started making their own versions of croissants.
