You know, this has me thinking about the little patisserie that used to be in my neighborhood.  The owners spoke French, but I suspect they were not from France.  Only because who would move from France to Chicago to open a bakery?  It was run by a father & son team.  Father made everything, son and his surly girlfriend worked the front.  And they were making honest to god croissants.  Then, shortly after 9-11, they mysteriously closed shop.  I used to see them around the neighborhood, and haven't seen them since.  And I haven't had an honest to god croissant since.  

Until a coffee shop a few spots down began serving them.  I was incredulous at first.  I've had far too many bad croissants in my life.  But this is also the only place in Chicago that I am aware of that serves honest to god New York bagels .  Now they are making honest to god French croissants.  YAY!

BTW, I suspect that real croissants, along with, perhaps, real bagels, are not cost-effective to make & sell.  Or that the secret ingredient is something illegal like cocaine or unpasteurized milk.  In a country where you can get almost anything, these treats are almost impossible to find.

"Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms." -Dostoevsky