Crepes are Frances version of the American pancake. Except crpes were created first and they should never be thick. So, I guess I could say that pancakes are Americas version of French crepes. Dating back for centuries the French have been preparing and perfecting the crepe far longer than their American counterparts have been flipping pancakes.
Traditionally, crepes 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 crpes of all flavors.
Crepes can be eaten at breakfast, lunch or dinner; and as a first course, main course, or as dessert. The trick to making a good crepe is using the right pan. A proper crepe pan should be seasoned or cured to insure that the thin pancakes will be easy to maneuver and remove without sticking or tearing. Crepes are best served on a very hot plate.
If you own a crepe 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 crepe.
At one point Crepe Suzette was probably the most popular crepe in America. Although Crepe Suzette is wonderful, there are many other kinds of crepes that have made their way to the table.
Breakfast Crepes:
Eggs & Cheese
Jambon (ham) & Gruyere Cheese
Fruit-Oranges are frequently used.
Lunch or Dinner Crepes:
Caviar
Chicken & Mushroom
Fine Herbs
Florentine-Spinach
Seafood-Shrimp, lobster, or crab are popular fillings
Zucchini
Dessert Crepes:
Chocolate
Crepes Suzette
Cream
Liqueur or Liquor based
When creating crepes just remember that they should be paper thin and the sauce or filling is the key. The crepes themselves are very easy to perfect. Now that you know a little but more about the history of crepes, crepe pans, and different crepe recipes, you should be able to tackle any of the aforementioned crepes every now and then.
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