Crêpes? Fancy Pancakes?

Authored By:

Kira F.

Happy National Crêpe Day! It is an incredibly simple dish: some flour, eggs, milk, butter and you are set. Every French person and their mother gets together and celebrates this glorious day of crêpe eating goodness.

I actually celebrated the day after with my host family and friends. The day of, my friend Caroline and I had our own little festive crêpe (and fries, of course...what is a meal without frites et café au lait) in a café:

Photo for blog post Crêpes? Fancy Pancakes?

However, I am not one to ever turn down a good crêpes, so we celebrated again last night! In the United States, crêpes are usually eaten with some combination of nutella, sugar, fruit and the occasional savory ingredient. In France, however, anything goes. I have seen fois gras, tomatoes, four cheeses and more. Alas, a crêpe seems to be the perfect food for the options are limitless meaning the fun never ends!

Clarification: A crêpe is NOT a pancake. Both exist in France! A french crêpe is what Americans picture, but the pancake is where things change. Due to different ingredients, a french pancake is often denser and tinted yellow (this is due to the fact that eggs in France are very yellow). Then there are blinis...known in America as sand dollar pancakes/silver dollar pancakes/mini pancakes. Don’t trust anyone who tells you that they are all the same.

So, I hope that everyone reading this gets the opportunity to try the delicious (preferably a homemade one from France...but it is okay to settle for a well made American crêpe) thin masterpiece called the crêpe!

BONUS: My host sister, Luna, saying the glorious word, crêpe: