In Search of Crisped, Flaky, Buttery Croissants - Croissant Journey at Chaumont, Maison Giraud, Bouchon, Proof & Pitchoun

Hi @Chowseeker1999 - Do you apply that exceptional palate of yours to wine tasting as well?

Hi @TheCookie,

No, sorry. :frowning: I donā€™t have the exceptional baller funds to explore wine. :cry: :slight_smile: But itā€™s OK. I can live vicariously through @J_L @Porthos and many othersā€™ excellent wine reports.

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Yeah itā€™s hard to judge Wangā€™s croissants at one of many vendors that sell her goods as croissants travel about as well as beignets.

Itā€™s pretty amazing the stuff she puts out from basically a makeshift shack with some ovens.

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At your suggestion, @maudies5, I went and bought 2 croissants from the Jean Luc Labat stand at the Saturday SM Farmers Market. I bit into the croissant after purchase, and Iā€™m sorry (so very sorry) to report that (1) there was virtually no crumble, and (2) the butter taste was not really present. At all.

Chaumont (and for that matter, Ralphs) has absolutely nothing to fear from this particular croissant, in my book.

I very much respect your taste on this board, so I will assume this was an ā€œoff-weekendā€ and give this patissier the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I will try it again in the near future.

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Hi @ipsedixit,

Wow, thatā€™s even more impressive to know that she makes all of those pastries out of a shack.

@J_L, thanks for the report back. It sounds like you had a similar experience to me as well.

I think based on the parameters of this OP, Frogā€™s doesnā€™t qualify. I just had some of their pastries for Popā€™s Day breakfast and my experience was as you described as well.

Still, their croissant fills a huge demand that probably most people enjoy - a huge soft tuggable chewy croissant that one can enjoy like a side of bread along with breakfast, or with some butter, jam or even nut butter.

I think that croissants, like bagels, can be very controversial in the OG/New School debate. Bagels that resemble Noahā€™s are the standard now, as the majority of eaters appreciate soft pillowy pliable bagels - not OG rip-your-dentures-out super high-gluten bagels.

I think croissants that shatter find many complaining about how hard they are to eat, and how the table, their laps and the floor are now covered in laminated flakiness. Never mind the buttery essence of Euro-cultured goodness - most are appreciative of a slight suggestion of butter. This OP is the opposite - shattering exteriors encasing multiple buttery layers of cultured essence is exactly what is preferred and sought after but rarely fulfilled. And @Chowseeker1999 is to be commended for his tireless pursuit for this rare elusive wonder (as well as so many other pursuits chronicled here).

Not wanting to fight crowds or drive 30-40 minutes x 2 to get pastries like the OP, Frogā€™s worked out fine. A huge platter of tasty pastries that complemented the four remaining baskets of Harryā€™s strawbs that started out as six yesterday.

Like you, @maudies5 has my utmost respect. She always fights the good fight and has incredibly focused taste buds that I personally rank up there in the top echelon of CH/FTCers. When I see that big aqua-colored ā€œMā€ appear next to a topic, I smile and say to myself, ā€œhereā€™s a post that I need to read.ā€

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Hey @Chowseeker1999. Can you describe the ā€œsauce vertā€? Picked up some beautiful shisito peppers this morning; going to try to recreate the sandwich later today.

Hi @Sgee,

Itā€™s this creamy sauce that worked well with a subtle cheese like Ricotta. Itā€™s made out of Olive Oil, Garlic, Cilantro, Parsley and a few other herbs blended together.

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Oh thanks, bulavinaka and others for the kinds words. Truth is the Frogā€™s croissants are just fine for me. I donā€™t examine them very closely as on a Saturday morning I am perfectly happy just spreading some good strawberry jam on one when I return from the Farmerā€™s Market. I know that the best croissants I have ever had was at the Hotel Le Bristol in Paris. I do recall a crispness and butteriness even years after the fact. I also ate them with the most delicious pot of jam and crumbs were spilling all over the fine linen. I also have to admit that I am not a great lover of bread, in general. Even last night at dinner, Tavern, my husband was enjoying bread, butter and little salt and I was content to taste one bite. He ate about 2 slices. I am one of those women who deconstructs sandwiches. . I am also one who sees bagels as a vehicle for scooping out so a scrambled egg can fit. :slight_smile: Hope everyone is having a nice fatherā€™s day.

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Hi @maudies5,

Thanks again for the recommendation. I definitely have friends who enjoy the more pillowy, airy Croissants (and donā€™t like dealing with crisp (messy) outer layer of the Croissants I like. :wink:

I love your bagels comment LOL. :slight_smile:

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Iā€™ve been eating at chaumont since they opened, approx 5 years ago. I presume the same french couple that opened it are still the proprietors. The croissants and bread are heaven! Breakfast is an excellent meal thereā€¦much better than the sandwiches.

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Well that was fast: Eater just posted a story confirming Maison Giraudā€™s closure, with a final dinner service for July 10.

Although it sounds like they might be invited back as part of that new The Grove Part 3.

Great report! Thanks for your hard work.

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Dear God! Chaumont is no joke. Itā€™s the best croissant I have ever eatenā€¦and I was so excited that this is the only picture I managed to take.

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Hi @attran99,

Nice! :smile: glad you liked it!

Love that wonderful French Butter infusion, and crisped exterior.

Iā€™ve been meaning to check out Chaumont after reading this thread. How are their baguettes?

Hi @tailbacku,

I havenā€™t tried them yet. Iā€™ll report back if I do.

Itā€™s okay; that pic tells you everything you need to know. Crispy, flaky, delicious. :slight_smile:

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Amen. Tried it today for the first time and thought the same. All hail @Chowseeker1999.

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Proof, back a year or so ago, made a better croissant than the one at Chaumont now.

But I cede that the croissant from Proof has recently gone downhill, as has Pitchoun.

My award for ā€˜All-time Favorite LA Croissantā€™ still goes to Proof, circa 2015. But the current fave is Chaumont.