Crêpes: The Best Souvenir From France
““This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook — try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun!” ~Julia Childs”
One of my favorite memories of a recent Paris visit was when we bought crêpes from a push cart along the Siene River. We sat for about an hour and savored the light, crispy, Nutella filled treat. It was a truly Parisian experience. In every part of France, whether it a big city or small town, travelers can find a little shop or a stand selling freshly made crêpes. The crêpes often have a filling of mixed berries, fresh fruit or lemon curd. These super-thin pancakes also come in a variety of savory flavors. They’re generally cheap and absolutely delicious!!
That leads us to the problem we’re about to solve. What do I bring home to our family and friends as a souvenir from our travels? If you are anything like us, we have a hard time carrying home gifts for everyone. It’s hard to pack them in the small hand luggage we bring. Ultimately, the souvenirs end up on a shelf or are put in a box never to be seen again. Instead, why not invite everyone over for a taste of France’s most famous street food and share the stories and a few pictures of your travels there.
Let’s first talk about the history of the dish. Not much grew in Brittany, but when buckwheat arrived there in the 12th century, it immediately took to the low-fertility acidic soil of Northwest France. The Bretons made the most of this gluten-free, fiber-rich, high-protein grain, grinding it down and combining it with water and a touch of salt to create a batter. The word crêpe, is the French word derived from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled." The measure of an excellent crêpe is whether they are slightly crispy. In Brittany, crêpes are traditionally served with cider which pairs surprisingly well. While crêpes originated in Brittany, their consumption is widespread throughout the country and is now widely considered the national dish of France.
proto credit: wikipedia
For our crêpes, I’m going to adapt a version of Julia Child’s recipe. I have fond memories of watching reruns of her television program from the 60’s. She was such a character. Widely accepted as the first person to bring French cooking to an American audience, she humored us and encouraged viewers to embrace their mistakes. I love to watch her slosh a sauce around, but feel sorry for the person who had to clean it all up. French food is rich and calorie laden, and she embraced it. One of my favorite quotes from her was “ The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” Don’t expect low cal here. We’re making the good stuff!
Don’t forget the non-stick pan or griddle!! Seen Below.
Recipe : Adapted from Julia Child’s Crêpe Recipe
Prep Time: Approximately 5 minutes to mix, 2 hours to set, and 30 minutes to cook.
Makes approximately 20 seven inch crêpes
Ingredients
1 cup of whole milk
1 cup of water
4 large eggs
2 cups of sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons of melted butter that makes 1/4 cup
OPTIONAL: 2 teaspoons of dark beer (I suggest a Yuengling Black and Tan) Shoutout to Pennsylvania!!
**Julia Child never added the beer, but she did use copious amounts of choice alcoholic beverages to enrich a dish. Be responsible people……..we’re making crêpes!
Making the Crêpe Batter
We’re doing a bit different than Julia did it, so grab that mixer!! It’s pretty simple. Combine all the ingredients in a mixer bowl. Mix at a moderate speed until everything is combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times to free residual flour. Don’t scrape while the machine is running. I wish I didn’t have to tell you that. If there are lumps, continue mixing until the lumps are gone.
Chilling
Pour mixed batter into a separate bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with a plastic wrap and a dish towel. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill the batter for at least 2 hours before using to allow flour particles to absorb the liquid to yield a soft and delicate crêpe. The batter can be made the day before and kept chilled until ready to use.
Cooking the Crêpes:
Heat a pan over medium heat.
Dip a paper towel into some melted butter and spread on the non-stick pan or go all out and use a bit of bacon grease each time you make a crêpe. With a measuring cup scoop out 2/3 cup of batter. It should be a bit runny as we want it to be consistency of heavy cream. If you find the batter too thick or heavy, you may whisk in a bit of water.
Pour the crêpe batter into the pan with low edges. (Click the link below for an example of a crêpe pan). Swirl the batter around the pan so that it coats the base of the pan. Add a bit more if you find the bottom is not coated. If you put too much, pour a bit back in the mixing bowl. You want them thin!!
Cook for about 30 seconds until the edges begin to brown, then loosen the crêpe with a spatula and flip to the other side to cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer the cooked crêpe onto a plate.
As Julia put it; “there’s a public side and a private side.” The side with the spotty brown bubbles is the private side. This is the side you put you toppings on. Fold or roll; the presentation is up to you.
Photo Credit: WV Winery
Doc’s Hard Cider from the Warwick Valley Winery. It’s absolutely delicious and a perfect pairing for our Crêpe dish. It also happens to be located in the town where I work.
And that can be dangerous……..
Sweet Crêpe:
Nutella
Mixed Berry Rhubarb compote (my personal favorite)
Fresh Fruit (strawberries and bananas are a favorite)
Sweet cream or whipped cream
The options are endless!! Choose your favorites and experiment. You can’t really make a mistake if it tastes good!!
Savory Crêpes:
Many times, crêpes were used for left overs. I find it’s a great way to reinvent last night’s meal. Anything from turkey, steak, and chicken can be added to crêpes. It’s always amazing if you can create a bit of sauce to smother them with. As we are pescatarian, I’ll share with you a quick savory recipe of shrimp salad. It’s my mother’s own recipe.
Shrimp Salad:
1 lb shrimp
1 tsp. Old bay seasoning
1/4 cup mayo
2 Tbsp. Cocktail sauce
2 Tbsp. Chopped celery
2 Tbsp. Chopped onion
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley.
Cook shrimp and old bay seasoning
Chop shrimp, add onion and celery. Stir in mayo, cocktail sauce, and lemon juice
For the Dressing:
6 tbsp mayo
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp cayenne
