What do flaky pastries have to do with international diplomacy? As China and France mark 60 years of diplomatic relations, we hit Beijing's streets to uncover how croissants became edible ambassadors of cross-cultural connection. 🥐✨
From traditional beurre-centric recipes in embassy-district bakeries to sesame-dusted fusion versions in hutong cafes, these buttery treats tell a story of culinary alchemy. 'French technique meets local creativity,' says Liu Mei, a Beijing-based pastry chef who trains in Lyon twice yearly. 'Our matcha-red bean croissant sells faster than hot pot!'
Prices range from 12 RMB ($1.65) for neighborhood staples to 48 RMB ($6.60) for luxury hotel versions with champagne-infused dough. Food bloggers on Xiaohongshu obsess over 'croissant crawls' while франкофилы (Francophiles) debate who nails the perfect lamination.
This gastronomic bridge comes full circle: French flour brands now sponsor Chinese baking competitions, while Beijing's avant-garde patissiers experiment with ingredients like Sichuan pepper. As one Weibo user quipped: 'The real entente cordiale is between ovens.' 🔥
