Crepes

crêpe.

[ krayp ]

crepes Plural

NOUN

1. food: thin pancake, a thin pancake usually served rolled up or folded with a filling
2. textiles: light crinkled fabric: a light fine fabric with a crinkled surface
3. paper: Same as crepe paper

[Late 18th century. < French < Old French crespe “curled” < Latin crispus]

The first time I wrote about making crêpes here at Dave Daniels was back on November 6, 2006. There are two types of crêpe:  entré crêpe and dessert crêpe. The main difference is the amount of sugar used in the base recipe. Personally, I just make the entré style and use them for whatever purpose is at hand.
Equipment:

well-seasoned crépe pan
mixing bowls
measuring cups
hand whisk
cheese cloth
strainer
Crépe Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1 cup water
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons melted butter
Innards Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic
1 sprig rosemary
4 large mushrooms
1 chunk ginger
1 onion
1 handful of broccoli florets
2 cups of prepared chicken
1 cup gravy
Back in the late 1970’s I worked in a shop called House and Home Department Store on Boylston Street in Copley Square, Boston. This was the first pan I’d ever owned and I think I paid something like $27 for it, a lot in those days; but, it was made in France, so there you go.  If there were ever a zombie apocalypse, this pan would be the one that would go into my backpack. It’s small, versatile and well-seasoned. It’s great for a fried egg, burger, crépe or just about anything a guy on the run from zombies could ever want in a pan.

At the same time as the purchase of the crépe pan I also bought the book Crepes, Pancakes & Fritters, which was published in 1976 by The Peter Pauper Press. I’ve got the first edition copy of the book, and also got the Kindle edition here. (You know, in case you want to make yourself some crépes, pancakes and fritters.)

Before we begin making the crépes, though, let’s work on a quick project first: a leather crépe pan handle cover. For all the hundreds of crépes I’ve made with this pan, there’s one thing that has been a minor nuisance: the handle. To make a crépe, the pan must be hot. HOT hot. And that also means that the handle gets hot. Trying to swirl the batter in a hot pan takes a certain amount of dexterity and finesse, and using a bulky pot holder or towel wrapped around the handle has reached its limits.
1: In the studio, with pan in hand, I gathered up my leather crafting supplies.  Easy since they’re all over the desk already. 2: Using an old manila folder, this is going to be the initial template for the pan handle. 3: Trace the outline of the handle onto the card stock making sure to get the top all the way to where it meets the pan. Add a little seam allowance to account for the thickness of the handle.
4: Cut out a piece of leather twice the width of the handle, including the double seam allowance. Run tape down both sides, leaving 1/4″ exposed. Apply contact cement to both areas. (DO NOT use rubber cement!) 5: After the glue has dried, simply fold one edge over to the other, matching carefully. 6: Run the adjustable groover down the glued edges, top and bottom. This is where the stitching is going to go.
7: Using the overstitch wheel, run it down the channel from the goover. This will give you the spacing for punching holes for the stitching. 8: Using a punch with a 5/64″ tube, punch holes through each of the indents left by the overstitch wheel. Ideally, you try and get the holes in as straight a line as possible. 9: Using waxed linen thread, stitch the edges together.
7: Apply two coats of neatsfoot oil. Once it’s been absorbed, slide the new leather handle cover over the pan handle! 8: Yes, you’re viewing that correctly: the seam faces up so that I’ve got a smooth grip on the bottom and the seam acts as a stabilizer of sorts. 9: The smooth bottom of the handle cover.
7: The length of the cover is perfect, covering the entire handle area the way I  hold it. 8: Now comes the true test: MAKING CRÉPES! Using the recipe shown above, I mixed and strained the batter of any lumps and chilled it for a while.
Above: my little crépe-making area. Key word: LITTLE!		 9: The pan was heated on medium high heat, the interior brushed with melted butter and, using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, the batter was poured into the pan and rotated  counter clockwise all at the same time.
7: The secret to knowing when to flip the crépe over is where the surface turns lighter from the edges inward. Takes maybe a minute. Then, flip it over. The first side should resemble the surface of the moon. 8: One thing I’ve learned, too, is to cool the crépe on a cooling rack while the next crépe cooks. The reason being it allows any extra moisture to dissipate before stacking them between layers of waxed paper. 9: From there, you’re on your own. You can make the chicken and gravy recipe above, or add ice cream topped with strawberries and powdered sugar for a delicious dessert crépe. Really, there are SO many ways to serve them. The only problem is having enough of them on hand!