Crêpe Day

While we celebrate a smelly old groundhog -- the French and a lot of other countries celebrate crêpes! According to sources, it was originally a celebration of Pan, and then was Christianized to suit the pope, and called Candelmas. Regardless - the tradition continues, and everyone eats crêpes. In France it's called La Fête de la Chandeleur.

In the past we have gone to town to find a crêperie for dinner, but I thought this year, we would make our own.

Here is the recipe I followed for the batter:

• 300 grams of flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 4 eggs

Make a well in the center of the flour and add the cracked eggs.
Whip the eggs with a whip, slowly pulling in the flour a little at a time, until well mixed.

Then add:

• 50 cl of half and half
• 2 Tablespoons of melted butter

Let this sit for about an hour at room temperature and then pour it into a hot skillet oiled with a mild tasting oil (like sunflower).

Now, I found this batter to be way too thick - so I added another cup or so of milk to thin it out. The batter should be somewhat thin so that you can make a thin pancake in the well oiled skillet. We got about 9 crepes out of this.

According to the superstitions - if you can hold a gold coin in your left hand and flip a crepe in the pan with your right - you are going to be rich that whole year! Pat did that without a problem. Whoohooo!

The next question is: what to fill it with???

We filled ours with a chopped fish mixture that I had purchased at the market yesterday.

• about a pound of chopped fish pieces (mixed types)
• chopped parsley
• one cup of leeks chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 T of oil
• 2 T of butter
• 6 T of creme fraiche (or sour cream or half & half)
• salt and pepper

Sautée the garlic and leeks in the oil and butter in the skillet until soft. Add the fish and parsley. Toss for 5-7 minutes until done. Add salt and pepper. Now 3 T of creme fraiche and mix well. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve over rice, or inside a crepe! A side of salad helps you get your 5 veggies/fruits for the day, and it's a yummy dinner.

After about an hour, we decide to make dessert - and stick with the theme.

Crêpes Pommes et Nutella! - 2 crêpes with apples and nutella

peel and slice an apple, put it in a bowl with some sugar, some cinnamon and then sautée in a hot skillet with butter/oil mix. Set aside.

Make 2 more crêpes.

spread nutella on the warm crêpe - and then spoon in half the apples. Add a small scoop of ice cream, and enjoy.

Yep, I think we are already rich.