French Crepes
Bonjour! Next week we are celebrating La Chandeleur!
La Chandeleur (Candlemas in English) , is observed every year on February 2nd, just like Groundhog day in North America, and both celebrations share some similarities. They both mark a time when winter comes to a turning point, and both celebrations have this folklore belief based on the weather of that day or the shadow of the groundhog, which are supposed to indicate if the winter will either end or goes on. Here is a bit of history on the French Candlemas tradition:
The origins of the Chandeleur in France date back to a pagan feast: according to local customs, candles had to be lit at midnight as a symbol of purification. Chandeleur comes from the latin “candelarum” as does the English word ‘candle’.
The Church adapted the tradition into the blessing of the candles, which were to repel Evil, thus reminding all that Christ is the light of the world. Christians would then come back to their homes with the blessed candles in order to protect them.
It was also at that time of the year that the winter seed-time started. The surplus flour was then used without too much risk of shortage and crêpes were made as a symbol of prosperity for the coming year.
Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.
There are all kinds of French proverbs and sayings for Chandeleur; here are just a few. Note the similarities to the Groundhog Day predictions made in the US and Canada:
À la Chandeleur, l’hiver cesse ou reprend vigueur
On Candlemas, winter ends or strengthens
À la Chandeleur, le jour croît de deux heures
On Candlemas, the day grows by two hours
Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perte
Candlemas covered (in snow), forty days lost
Rosée à la Chandeleur, hiver à sa dernière heure
Dew on Candlemas, winter at its final hour
But for the French, the best part of Candlemas is obviously the crepes!!! In France we have different recipes whether you want to to enjoy them with a sweet or savory filling.
This recipe works for both savory or sweet crepes, and I’ll share with you my favorite recipe, it’s a rule of 3 (look at all the 3 in the ingredients measurements); infallible, easy to remember and delicious!
For cooking technique, see the video link at the bottom of the recipe, and stay tuned for a mini video on Instagram! Choose the flattest pan that you have, preferably non-stick. Any large frying pan works, but you might need to add more fat into your pan if it is not non-stick.
So what do you fill them with?
Savory options, for example:
- filled with an egg, ham, mushrooms and cheese!
- blue cheese, walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup
- smoked salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice and dill
- cooked spinach, goat cheese and sundried tomatoes…
Sweet options, for example:
- any sort of sweet spread, we have quite a few to choose from (pistachio cream, hazelnut chocolate spread, condensed milk, jam…)
- Banana slices and melted chocolate
- Lemon curd and raspberries
- Apple slices, sea salt caramel sauce and cinnamon
- My favorite: brown butter, lemon juice and sugar!
Comment below if you try it and tell us how you eat your crepes!
Bon Appetit!
