Crepes

Crepes are one of those things that, for an American, can seem terribly fancy.

Oh, a crepe! So much better than those big, lumbering pancakes!

Pancakes are kind of dopey though aren't they? No skill. You just take a premixed lumpy mess of a batter and dump into a hot pan. With crepes, you're dealing with a thin batter to make a thin layer of goodness. We can already see that this will be more of a challenge. And like anything else, it's easy by the second or third time you've done it, but most of us don't get to hone those crepe skills. The last time I made one (possibly the only time as well) was in high school at a french club crepe party. I got to use one of those crepe makers that look like a smooth, waffle iron wand or something. It's hot and dangerous and you have to juuuuuuust barely dip it in the batter or you've fucked up. Good times.

So when I was over at Baking Bites again, I was reading about her trip to France. Now, the crepe vendors are apparently very popular. You can get them for lunch or snacks or what have you, and they cook them with sweet or savory toppings. Now, when I think of crepes, I think breakfast, maybe dessert with some Nutella (mmm... Nutella), or the cheese blintzes they make at IHOP. But duh! Savory toppings on a crepe sound divine. So I made them.



I decided to follow her example and spread my crepe batter thinly in the pan, then top with an egg, followed by sweet ham and creamy havarti cheese. Very very tasty. I can't believe I've never had it before. Plus, because the crepes are so thin, it takes just minutes to whip one up.

However, in the spirit of sweet crepes, I also enjoyed them stuffed with mild cheese and berry compote topped with sour cream. And, yeah, with Nutella. Hello!