For the past two weeks, I’ve been eating crepes constantly. The obsession began when my sweet mom offered to make us a batch of her famous chicken and Gruyere crepes. I eagerly volunteered to help, and the two of us spent a Friday afternoon with a large bowl of crepe batter and two very hot skillets. The cheesy crepes were divine (I went back for seconds, maybe even thirds) but what I found supremely appetizing was a simple crepe–solitary and unadorned. I began to eat them straight from the refrigerator. Two weeks and four batches later, I’m still eating these crepes.
Crepes are one of those recipes everyone should master. The variation is endless. Dessert crepes, breakfast crepes, dinner crepes, and my favorite: snack crepes. Far easier than one might imagine, crepes never fail to impress company or children. You simply can’t go wrong. I also think crepes are an excellent choice for people who must eat gluten-free food. While this recipe isn’t gluten free, it’s relatively easy to find a replacement for the scant amount of flour in crepe batter.
A few crepe tricks I’ve learned over the past four batches:
1. Let your batter sit, preferably overnight. This reduces the risk that your crepes will tear.
2. Use high-quality eggs. The fresher the better.
3. Invest in a crepe pan or a good non-stick skillet. Anything else will require a hefty amount of butter or oil to prevent sticking (which may not be a bad thing…)
4. Invite a friend to help. My mom and I made 30 crepes in 30 minutes. If you can get two skillets or crepe pans going, you’ll be far less tired at the end of the endeavor.
In other news, Ryan and I find out if we’re having a boy or a girl TOMORROW. We’re both supremely excited. Not only to find out the sex, but to see our baby again. Of course, I’ve received a wide variety of opinions about my child’s sex. I manage a small boutique here in Colorado, and I’ve had countless customers explain why I’m having a girl….followed by countless customers confident I’m having a boy.
So what do you think?
I’ll be sharing the news on Friday evening, shortly after we tell our family over giant bowls of pasta and a three layer berry cake. Here’s to week 20 of pregnancy! I’m half-way there!
Easy Wheat Crepes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. In a blender, combine flour, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, and butter.
2. Puree until mixture is smooth and bubbles form on top, about 30 seconds. Let batter sit in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 day; whisk before using).
3. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium. Lightly coat with butter. Add 1/4 cup batter and swirl to completely cover bottom of skillet. Cook until underside of crepe is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Loosen edge of crepe with a rubber spatula, then with your fingertips, quickly flip. Cook 1 minute more. Slide crepe out of skillet and repeat with remaining batter. (Coat pan with butter as needed.)
Yields: 12 crepes
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
