From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
French for "crescent", a flaky pastry whose legendary origins are often disputed. The often-told tale has croissants being invented in Budapest in 1686 by bakers who overheard the invading Turks tunneling under the city just before dawn, attempting a surprise attack. The bakers were up and alert and in the middle of their workday. They were able to notify the army in time to foil the assault. The pastry's shape mirrors the crescent moon of the Turkish flag, a reminder of the historic defeat. The French are credited with giving croissants their mille-feuille quality by using puff pastry-style dough.
