Speaking of my impression of French crepes, I remember when I was a child, when I went to the night market and Miramar to watch a movie, I was in the night market and the crepe stall outside the movie theater.
I like to gather in front of the stall to watch the smooth technique of the clerk, take a small round stick to slide the batter, take advantage of the short seconds when the batter becomes cooked, quickly squeeze the whipped cream, put on the ice cream or various fruit ingredients, and finally neatly scrape the whole cake and roll it into a triangular cone. The taste is sweet and crispy, free to choose the ingredients you like, and the shape is very gorgeous, as long as you can buy a copy at that time, you feel like a little princess in your hand.
Even when I grow up, the crepes are no longer as popular as they used to be, and I still can't take my eyes off when I see them for a long time. Unexpectedly, the crepes that we are all too familiar with are actually completely different from the orthodox French crepes!
When it comes to traditional French cuisine, crepes can be considered among the top national dishes. On the streets of France, you can often find small stalls, small shops, and even restaurants specializing in crepes. The most orthodox French crepes have a sweet and savory taste. Usually, the sweet crepes sold at roadside stalls are called "La crêpe". The savoury crepes, also known as "La galette", are not usually sold on the side of the road and are eaten in restaurants, with the classic savoury flavours being eggs, cheese and ham.
The history and legend of crepes
There are many opinions about the history and origin of crepes. One of the most well-known is that in the 5th century, when Pope Gélase I of Rome made this hot dish to soothe the pilgrims who had travelled long distances, making it easy to obtain and quick to make.
It is said that the crepes were not as thin as they are seen today, but were very thick pancakes, and the main ingredient was to grind the grain, add water, mix it into a batter-like thickness, and heat it in a flat slate or pot. During the Crusades in the 13th century, buckwheat was brought back to Europe from Asia, and crepes made from buckwheat flour became popular in Bretagne, France. Then, there was the version we are familiar with today, which uses flour, eggs, and milk as the raw materials of the batter.
Holy Wax Festival, a must-eat crepe festival of the year
In France, February 2 is celebrated on February 2 every year, also known as "Feast of the Lord", which is the annual French crepe day (Fête de la crêpe)! In the past, the round golden appearance of crepes symbolized "sun and harvest", and in February, when it was the end of winter, farmers would make crepe crust from the leftover flour from the winter, turning it into a warm dish to ward off the cold of winter, and also hoping that spring would come and bring a new harvest.
To this day, the French continue this tradition by lighting candles and making warm and delicious crepes at home with family and friends. In addition, just as the little porcelain puppets in the king's pie on Epiphany in January symbolize good luck, French children also believe that if they can fry crepes with a coin in one hand and turn the crepe with the other hand, they can enjoy super good luck all year round!
Types of crepes
In France, crepes are also particular about their shape. Sweet crêpe is usually folded into quarter-round or long strips to prevent the jam and chocolate inside. In the salty Galette, the fried dough is spread with a filling and folded into a square, usually with a soft-boiled egg in the middle, or a little space for the ingredients to be exposed.
The most special classic is the crêpe süzette, which is fried and sprinkled with orange wine and lit on the side of the table, so that the flame burns quickly and the alcohol volatilizes, leaving a strong aroma of orange wine. Today, many French or Michelin-starred restaurants in France still have this dessert tableside show.
The birth of this classic is said to have been a beautiful accident in the 19th century, when Edouard VII, who was still the crown prince of the United Kingdom, once traveled to France for a meal, and the waiter of the restaurant accidentally knocked over the orange wine on the table on the crepe while preparing dessert, and caught fire. Unexpectedly, after the crown prince ate the dessert, he liked it very much, so he named it after his girlfriend at the time, Suzette, to commemorate the dessert.
The story of the unexpected delicious surprise and the king's name is too much like the romantic plot in an idol drama!
If you're looking for a delicious and authentic crepe when you're visiting France, check out the annual list of the best Brittany crepe makers, each of which is an award-winning and certified master shop, and you won't be disappointed.