National Pastry Day
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Overview
National Pastry Day, celebrated annually on December 9th, is a delightful occasion dedicated to honoring the vast and delicious world of pastries. From flaky croissants and sweet Danish pastries to savory meat pies and delicate tarts, this day encourages everyone to indulge in and appreciate the culinary artistry of these baked goods.
Origin and story
The word 'pastry' comes from the French 'pâtisserie', which also refers to the art of making pastries and the shop where they are sold.
Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all had forms of baked doughs that could be considered precursors to modern pastries, often filled with fruit or nuts.
Quick facts
- DateDecember 9
- TypeFood / Dessert
- Great forFoodies, Chocolate lovers, Home bakers
Also on this date
Ways to celebrate
Pastry's oldest known recipes come from pharaohs' kitchens, thousands of years before France ever claimed the craft as its own.
Trace pastry back to ancient Egypt
More than 4,000 years ago, Egyptian pharaohs enjoyed breads enriched with honey, dried fruits, and dates, using a simple filo-style dough of flour and oil to make honey cakes, fruit pastries, and date-and-nut-stuffed dumplings.
Meet the accidental invention of puff pastry
Puff pastry is often credited to 17th-century French painter and apprentice cook Claude Gellée, who reportedly created the first laminated dough by accident around 1645 while trying to make a rolled butter cake for his sick father.
Read the fuller history
Helpful resources:
Did you know?
Puff pastry's invention eventually gave rise to iconic French desserts like the croissant and mille-feuille, both built on the same accidental technique of folding butter into dough.
Fun facts
- The word 'pastry' comes from the French 'pâtisserie', which also refers to the art of making pastries and the shop where they are sold.
- Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all had forms of baked doughs that could be considered precursors to modern pastries, often filled with fruit or nuts.
- While often sweet, pastries can also be savory, such as those used for empanadas, quiches, and various meat pies around the world.
- Puff pastry, known for its incredibly flaky layers, is believed to have been invented in the 17th century by a French painter named Claude Lorrain.
- A 'pâtissier' is a professional pastry chef, highly skilled in the art of baking intricate desserts and pastries.
- Many countries have their own unique and iconic pastries, like France's pain au chocolat, Italy's cannoli, and Austria's strudel.
Sources and attribution
The History of Pastry (Great British Chefs)
External links may lead to third-party websites.
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FAQ
- When is National Pastry Day?
- It is observed on December 9 each year.
- What is National Pastry Day?
- National Pastry Day, celebrated annually on December 9th, is a delightful occasion dedicated to honoring the vast and delicious world of pastries. From flaky croissants and sweet Danish pastries to savory meat pies and delicate tarts, this day encourages everyone to indulge in and appreciate the culinary artistry of these baked goods.
- How do people celebrate National Pastry Day?
- Enjoy a pastry and trace its lineage back to ancient Egypt, where pharaohs ate honey-and-date filled dough more than 4,000 years ago, long before French puff pastry was accidentally invented in the 1600s.
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