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Introduction;
Imagine you were a guest at a home in the 13th century in Brittany, France.
You happened to witness the housewife dripping some thin porridge on the hot flat iron cooktop in the fireplace. The resulting mistake turned out to be a crisp pancake that oddly enough turned out to be very tasty. You would have witnessed the first crepe ever made.
While this is an urban legend in France there may be some truth to it, because so many new dishes were created by accidents. Like Ruth Wakefield who was short on time and just broke up the chocolate bar instead of properly melting it to make chocolate cookies, or Mr Epperson that left his soda pop ingredients out on a cold night and the stirring spoon became the handle of the first popsicle.
It's fascinating and I bet most of you have a story about how you made a mistake on something you cooked and then discovered a new way to make or serve something.
Lots of folks have made thin pancakes but the French turned them into an art.
Crepes have fascinating history. Coming from just a little area of France, and though all cultures have a pancake, the French perfected this and made it into an art form, which became the national dish of France.
So Where did Crepes Originate? .......
In Brittany, France, or Bretagne, in the northern part of France. and close to Brittan hence the name. Another name often used is Bretonne.
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The Making some kind of grain to pancakes go back way into ancient history and are in every culture.
However in this very wet area of Northern France wheat didn't grow well, but around the 12th century, buckwheat was introduced and thrived in these conditions.
Soon recipes followed. Before there were pancakes grain was boiled in water to make a porridge.
So how did we go from porridge to pancake? |
Spilling Porridge became a Fortunate Accident!
Legend has it that a housewife in Brittany, accidentally spilled some thin porridge on a hot flat stove and the through this mistake came the discovery of how good a thin crispy pancake tasted.
Where does the word Crepe come from ?
The word crepe comes from a Latin word Crispus which meant crisp. The word has evolved as you can see in the old 14th century recipe for Crespus.
Are there
Fun Facts about Crepes:
The Day of Crepes
February 2 is known as le jour des crêpes (‘the day of crepes’) and folks make crepes, and apparently most make them for dinner. In the beginning it was a religious holiday.
It is also known as La Chandeleur (‘the return of the light’), because it symbolizes that Spring is on it's way. the crepe looks looks like the sun and reminds us that the cold winter will soon be over.
Some say it is the French Groundhog Day
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what is the oldest traditional recipe on record?
This book translates the Medieval French crepe recipe found in Le Menagier de Paris: in the 14th century.
Original Recipe in French:
Crespes. Prenez de la fleur et destrempez d'œufs tant moyeux comme aubuns osté le germe, et le deffaites d'eaue, et y mettez du sel et du vin, et batez longuement ensemble : puis mettez du sain sur le feu en une petite paelle de fer, ou moitié sain ou moitié beurre frais, et faites fremier; et adonc aiez une escuelle percée d'un pertuis gros comme vostre petit doit, et adonc mettez de celle boulie dedans l'escuelle en commençant ou milieu, et laissiez filer tout autour de la paelle; puis mettez en un plat, et de la pouldre de succre dessus. Et que la paelle dessusdite de fer ou d'arain tiengne trois choppines, et ait le bort demy doy de hault, et soit aussi large ou dessus comme en bas, ne plus ne moins; et pour cause .
Translation: (by Janet Hinson)
Crepes. Take flour and mix with eggs both yolks and whites, but throw out the germ, and moisten with water, and add salt and wine, and beat together for a long time: then put some oil on the fire in a small iron skillet, or half oil and half fresh butter, and make it sizzle; and then have a bowl pierced with a hole about the size of your little finger, and then put some of the batter in the bowl beginning in the middle, and let it run out all around the pan; then put on a plate, and sprinkle powdered sugar on it. And let the iron or brass skillet hold three chopines, and the sides be half a finger tall, and let it be as broad at the bottom as at the top, neither more nor less; and for a reason..
from this website
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Recipes
Some Breakfast Crepe Ideas
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Gallete- Bretonne
Get some more ideas for combinations, style and presentation
from our Crepe Gallery of pictures
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