A Taste of the World: Crepes

  In the last three weeks we visited Jamaica, Mongolia, and Mexico through three complex and flavorful recipes that would require you to take a good bit of time out of your day to prepare.

Considering the average college student probably doesn't have that much time to spend making and then eating a meal, I decided to make this week's recipe quick and easy, without sacrificing taste. Straight from France, we're making Crepes!

Originally from the Brittany region, but very widely popular throughout all of France, crepes can be an appropriate meal for dessert or breakfast. I got my recipe from Zineb Hazif, a native of Paris and international student at SMC.

This recipe only includes a few basic ingredients that you can probably find already in your fridge. Flour, milk, eggs, salt and sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract is all there is to it!

When it comes to crepes, there is a common faux pas in the thickness. Crepes are meant to be very thin and soft. Pancakes, on the other hand, are much thicker and fluffy. If your batter comes out too thick, just add a tablespoon of water to it and it should thin out just right.

Pour the mix onto a buttered frying pan or griddle, and be sure to tilt the pan in a circular motion to spread the mix thin. Each crepe only needs about two minutes over medium heat, and then they're ready to flip. Don't be afraid to drop your crepe, attempting to flip it is the best part of preparation.

My favorite part about crepes is the veritable potpourri of fillers. Traditionally crepes are filled with jelly or jam and rolled. However, I prefer my crepes plain, folded into triangles with powdered sugar on top and served with fresh fruit for breakfast.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

3 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Dash of vanilla extract

Butter to fry

Powdered sugar on top

PREPARATION:

1. Sift flour.

2. Create a well in the center of the flour and crack eggs into well.

3. Whisk together eggs and flour while adding milk slowly.

4. Continue to whisk together all ingredients until bubbles appear on the surface of the mix.

5. Melt butter in the frying pan.

6. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan and rotate pan until batter spreads into a thin layer of mix.

7. Flip.

8. Serve.