Dominique Ansel, Inventor of the Cronut, Comes to Washington

The man behind the Cronut, a wildly popular doughnut-croissant pastry, is coming to Washington, D.C. on Thursday. Dominique Ansel, head chef at Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York, will be in town on Thursday & Friday to promote his new book: Dominique Ansel: The Secret Recipes. He'll also be meeting with a group of veterans, who are working out of the soon-to-open Dog Tag Bakery in Georgetown.

On Thursday night, Ansel will make a public appearance at a conversation and book signing with Washingtonian's Todd Kliman, but don't expect any Cronuts. Ansel will be passing out samples of his Christmas Morning Cereal dessert. Those who are willing can try to replicate the Cronut with a recipe found inside his new book. The event, called "Breakfast for Dessert," is being hosted by (and at) the Smithsonian from 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. and includes some star D.C. pastry chefs: Tiffany MacIsaac (Buttercream Bakeshop/Open Kitchen), Susan Limb (Praline Bakery), Santosh Tiptur (Co Co. Sala) and Caitlin Dysart (2941 Restaurant). Tickets are still available online for $30 for general admission and $60 for general admission plus a book.

On Friday, Ansel will be at Dog Tag to talk food entrepreneurship; the bakery itself is in the process of a start-up. Dog Tag will open in early December and is a nonprofit aimed at training and employing veterans inside a fully operational kitchen. Ansel will do a hard hat tour of the new space, as well as a meet-and-greet with the program's fellows.