Crêpes are France’s version of the American pancake. Except crêpes were created first and they should never be thick. So, I guess I could say that pancakes are America’s version of French crêpes. Dating back for centuries the French have been preparing and perfecting the crêpe far longer than their American counterparts have been flipping pancakes.
Traditionally, crêpes are the food of choice during Mardi Gras or Carnival. Fat Tuesday is the last day of the celebration and marks the beginning of Lent. On that day street vendors can be seen laced throughout the spokes of Paris with their carts or in storefronts serving the most delectable crêpes of all flavors.
Crêpes can be eaten at breakfast, lunch or dinner; and as a first course, main course, or as dessert. The trick to making a good crêpe is using the right pan. A proper crêpe pan should be seasoned or cured to insure that the thin pancakes will be easy to maneuver and remove without sticking or tearing. Crêpes are best served on a very hot plate.
If you own a crêpe pan you will need to pour cooking oil into the pan and then let it heat to the point that it begins to smoke. At this point, turn off the pan and let it sit overnight. The next day you can discard the oil and wipe the pan. It should now be properly prepared to make a perfect crêpe.
At one point Crêpe Suzette was probably the most popular crêpe in America. Although Crêpe Suzette is wonderful, there are many other kinds of crêpes that have made their way to the table.
Breakfast Crêpes:
v Eggs & Cheese
v Jambon (ham) & Gruyere Cheese
v Fruit-Oranges are frequently used.
Lunch or Dinner Crêpes:
v Caviar
v Chicken & Mushroom
v Fine Herbs
v Florentine-Spinach
v Seafood-Shrimp, lobster, or crab are popular fillings
v Zucchini
Dessert Crêpes:
v Chocolate
v Crêpes Suzette
v Cream
v Liqueur or Liquor based
When creating crêpes just remember that they should be paper thin and the sauce or filling is the key. The crêpes themselves are very easy to perfect. Now that you know a little but more about the history of crêpes, crêpe pans, and different crêpe recipes, you should be able to tackle any of the aforementioned crêpes…every now and then.
For video recipes of crêpes hosted by Michelin Chefs visit Gourmandia.com!
