Passport & Plate - Parisian Street Vendor Crepes
France | Sunday, March 1, 2015 | 1 photos
Ingredients
2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups organic milk
4 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted but not bubbling hot
Berries of your choice
One spoon of organic vanilla bean yogurt
How to prepare this recipeCombine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. In another smaller bowl, beat the milk and eggs together. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in about half of the liquid mixture. Blend it, and then add the remaining from your liquid bowl and stir till relatively smooth (you don't have to be terribly diligent about it). Now, stir in the butter. Once everything is mixed perfectly together, cover and let sit for at least an hour before beginning to make your very own Parisian Street Crepes.
It is certainly best if you can cook these crepes in is a 10-inch cast iron pan, but don't let the lack of supplies dissuade you! A large frying pan will also do. Heat the pan until it's medium-hot (not piping!) Melt a bit of butter in the pan and pour about 1/3 cup of your crepe batter into the pan. When you do this it's important to pick the pan up and tip it in a circle so the batter covers the whole bottom of the pan somewhat evenly. Cook until the bottom begins to brown and you can slide a spatula underneath it. It will hold together quite well, so you can flip it over pretty easily. Cook briefly on the other side and then place on a warm plate. I usually cover the plate with another plate until the remaining batter is cooked to keep the crepes nice and warm.
For the filling, you can be very creative and try new things each time, which is what I love most about this recipe. My favourite thing to do is add some freshly sliced strawberries or blueberries and a dollop (love that word) of vanilla bean yogurt.
And Voilà! You have made your very own Parisian Street Vendor Crepes :)
The story behind this recipeI first went to Paris for a boy. I was young and in love, having met a French farmer while traversing through India the year before. He had invited me to come and live with him in the south of france, and being the romantic 20 year old that I was, I said yes without second thought.
I was quite unversed in the art of food appreciation when I first arrived in Paris. I had yet to experience a large outdoor market; taste mouldy cheese; or sip a spoon of authentic french onion soup. However, my real love for food began one day when I was walking the streets of Paris and passed the window of a beaten up food cart, with a greasy haired chef trying to sell me a crepe.
The man wasn't necessarily unfriendly, but he didn't seem amused. As I walked in front of him and his food cart our eyes briefly met and he said to me: "you want a crepe now, no?" He was holding a lit cigarette and smoking directly over the food, which I found unsanitary but also funny. I was about to smile and shake my head to decline, but something stopped me. I stopped walking and turned to face him. "How much?" I asked. "€5". I took a moment to ponder this transaction as he took a long drag off his cigarette and waited for a reply. "OK" I said.
I can't really explain what was so fantastic about that first bite, nor can I tell you the street corner where this food cart was located. It was that truly random moment of cultural appreciation that most travellers know about: where something completely unexpected happens and sticks with you for a lifetime.
I won't be cheesy enough to say that that crepe changed my life, but it certainly did something to my tastebuds to make me appreciate and love food in a way I never had before. Since that day, I have tried tirelessness to re-create that crepe. After many recipes, I believe this one gets about as close as it can. That being said, the real joy comes from my memory, and my first experience truly falling in love with food, Paris, and a boy.
