Where it comes from
Vienna, then France
The croissant reaches the Spanish counter by the same route as the napolitana: Viennese laminated pastry established in Paris in the 19th century, then turned into breakfast and afternoon snack on this side of the Pyrenees.
What is interesting is what Spain has done to it. The cruasán a la plancha — split in two, a little butter, pressed on the same griddle the eggs are cooked on — is a café order in its own right, and one of those things that surprises a visitor the first time. It comes plain, with jam, or filled with ham and cheese.
It is what sits in the display case at eight in the morning, in Alhama as in the city, and one of the two or three things people order without looking at the menu.
What it is made with
- Flour
- Butter
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Cafés and bakeries across the province