The most famous croissant in ibiza

(by Pablo Burgués)

Who was André Quidu before arriving in Ibiza? I was born in a small town in French Brittany called Guéméné-sur-Scorff. The place is known for two things: for the delicious sausage "l'Andouille" and for being the place where more alcohol is drunk from all over France. I remember that as a child a government representative came to the school to raise awareness about alcoholism. He said: "Your town is where more alcohol is consumed per person." I will never forget his face when all the kids started shouting proudly: "We are the best. We are the best". My family had a kind of supermarket-charcuterie-bar where we sold everything you can imagine, from sausages to homemade cider or honey. We even organize a wedding with 1000 guests... So my house was always full of people and from there comes my facility to relate with all kind of people.

When did you come to Ibiza for the first time and why did you stay? I came on vacation forty years ago with my wife and my children, who were then 9 and 11 years old. In the 70s young people talked a lot about Ibiza because Pink Floyd and members of the Beatnik generation often came here. We were going to stay only a month but after walking around Vara de Rey and seeing all those people dressed in that theatrical way I felt that this was my home. And here I am.

What "legal" things did you do to survive on the island? At first I did nothing but enjoy the beaches, the sun, the people and the parties (which were not as noisy as today). Then I spent some time selling handicrafts in the markets: wooden gulls, serigraphs, paintings of artist friends... I also had a creperie in Cala Tarida, where many famous people came and where the idea of opening the Croissant-Show was born.

Tell the kids what the Croissant Show is. It is a French café-patisserie that is in the Old Market Square of Ibiza. I opened it in 1989 and the place quickly became famous. We opened at 4 o'clock in the morning, when all the other food stores were closed, so all the people who came out hungry from bars and clubs came here to eat pain au chocolat and our delicious croissants.

What do your croissants have that do not have those from Mercadona? Well, my croissants are made with the best butter in the world. That is the big difference with all the others.

By the way, I read that the croissant was not invented in Paris but is Vienna... It is true. The Austrians invented to celebrate their victory over the Turks in the sixteenth century. That's why they are shaped like a half moon, it was their way of making fun of the Turkish flag.

Interesting. Do you think that one day we can eat a cake with the shape of Donald Trump's hair? I do not think you can do anything edible with that, as much suppositories.

And speaking about hairs, what is the reason of your big mustache? Is it a hairy representation of a croissant? My mother was a neighbor of Salvador Dalí and i was born with these whiskers... So ask her.

Imagine that they give you one of those huge billboards that are at the exit of the airport, the first thing that tourists see when they arrive in Ibiza. What would you put on it? My face with my huge mustache and my eyes wide open like Dalí!! Surely it would be a commercial impact.

Which character would you like me to interview next time? Any local that has lived in Ibiza before being invaded by tourism. Notice that when I opened the Croissant-Show I was the only foreigner with a business in the neighborhood. Today there is only one local business, Luis' jewelry shop in the Old Market Square.

If you liked this post don't hesitate to share it, it's free and you'll make me disproportinately happy ;)

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