When living in Europe you meet so many people from so many different backgrounds. Some of my closest confidants here in Germany happen to be from France.

I studied French for 6 years in school and was even a French tutor in college, but this is one part of the culture one cannot learn without having experiencing it herself.

The morning after a sleepover at a friend’s house, I observed my French friend eating her breakfast and was overwhelmed with amusement. She actually took her buttery, fresh-baked croissant and drowned it in her coffee! I immediately asked her, “uhhh, what are you doing?” Equally confused, she stared back and replied, “eating…”

After an exchange of blank stares and subsequent giggling, the mystery was clarified. This was not pastry abuse but actually the way all French eat their croissants!

Now I’m not one to mix anything into my coffee except for the occasional drop or two of whole milk. However, if a French woman says try it, she will not let you go until you do what she says.

I skeptically dipped my perfectly okay croissant into the coffee and proceeded to taste the soggy pastry. Only once it reached my tongue did I realize this was the most delicious combination I had never tried. I’ve been missing out on so much!

And so are you- so here’s how you eat a croissant like a proper Parisienne:

Step one: Take your croissant in your hand and say goodbye to your old way of eating

Step two: Dip the corner of your croissant into your hot coffee. Note: your coffee must be hot

Step three: Let the croissant soak for just a moment, but not directly in and out. Give it a moment to prune in it’s bath

Step four: Take the croissant directly to your mouth and savor every moment of deliciousness.

Step five: REPEAT