First a little background. Crêpes are wafer thin pancakes (or rather bread) with origins in the furthest north-west corner of modern day France, Brittany specifically. This goodness of flour and butter is versatile and rich with history, much like France, going back as early as the Twelfth Century.
Back then the ingredients were different and crêpe was commonly consumed as an everyday bread. When buckwheat was introduced to the region in the Thirteenth Century, from its native Asia, it took over as the main ingredient for bread and the crêpe, as it was gluten-free and high in fiber. Later white flour was used in the Twentieth Century, and the crêpes we now know came to be.
Crêpes are a traditional dish with a day dedicated to it in France, La Chandeleur or ‘Le Jour des Crêpes’ literally translated to ‘The Day of the Crêpes’.
And now, crêpes are something enjoyed all around the world, they are crispy, have a delicious butteriness and go with everything. Everything. There are two types, sweet and savory. There is no one way to make them. They are easy to make, fast to cook, take all of 5 ingredients (plus sugar for sweet ones) and can be served with fruits, whipped cream and chocolate, or scrambled eggs and greens with mushrooms.
While a very popular opinion of crêpes is that they are wholly unhealthy, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure crêpes do have quite a bit of butter, they do happen to be a whole lot healthier than pancakes and waffles, since they don’t contain soda or any rising ingredient. They are even healthier than breakfast cereals, and lower in calories comparatively. Cereals have about 350 and crêpes (single serving of two 10 inch diameter) have 180 in all.
The versatility of crêpes coupled with how fast and easy it is to make, and how healthy it is, have given them immense popularity. With the fact that they only require 5-6 ingredients make them even more popular among students and young professionals.
Two sweet crêpes with a bowl of fruit and milk or coffee for breakfast. Savory crêpes with cheese and mushrooms and avocado spread for lunch. Crêpes with creamed spinach and corn for dinner.
There’s a crêpe for everything. Have them with brownies, a spoon of Nutella, Butter Paneer, anything. And the cherry on top? Those crêperies, the stalls for takeaway crêpes? Those crêpes are healthier than your corner-side eateries you get your low-cal grilled sandwich from.
They look great. They taste great. There is a crêpe for every occasion.