AU REVOIR ! CREPE DES AMIS : 7/24/11

CREPES HISTORY

The word crêpe is French for pancake, from the Latin crispus, meaning crisp. In France, crêpes were originally called galettes crêpes, meaning flat cakes. The French pronunciation of the word is with a short e, as in bed.

Crêpes originated in Brittany, the northwest region of France, where they rarely had fillings and were used as bread. Until about one hundred years ago, all crepes were made of buckwheat flour.

In France, crepes are traditionally offered on Candlemas and Shrove Tuesday to celebrate renewal, family life, and hope for good fortune and happiness ahead. It is customary to touch the handle of the frying pan and make a wish while the pancake is turned, holding a coin in the hand. In earlier times, in French rural society, farmers offered crêpes to their landowners as a symbol of allegiance.

The crepes were the pride of the Britanny region (Bretagne) in the North West of France, where they make them extremely big and paper thin. They usually eat them with a bit of caster sugar spread on the top. It was then rolled in a big "cigar" or folded in four and eaten while drinking some bubbly apple cider of the same region.

French crepes are thin pancakes usually made with buckwheat flour or whole wheat flour and were made to be celebrated every 2nd of February of each year. It was a day where every French home would make a good dozen of lovely thin crepes to eat together. It was believed to be for the return of the light (Spring is coming and no more long winter nights ahead) and it is called "La Chandeleur".

Today creperies that specialize in serving sweet and savory crepes are found throughout France. The savory pancakes, served as a main course, are usually made of buckwheat flour and called galettes, or galettes sarrasines, while dessert crêpes are made with wheat flour.