People often think of France when they hear mention of the croissant, but Austria is the true country of birth for this pastry. It’s Viennese, not French. The ‘kipferl’ was believed to be the spiritual ancestor of the croissant. It was created as a propaganda technique by the Austrians, made in the shape of the Crescent Moon of Islam so that when Austrians ate it they would be “Devouring” the Ottomans.