What is a Crêpe?

Description

A crêpe is basically a thin pancake.

The word crêpe is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa meaning “curled”. Crêpes originate from Brittany, France. However, they are now widely spread across France and are considered a national dish.

Crepe

Different Types

There are generally two types of crêpes:

Sweet Crêpes (crêpes sucrées)

Made with wheat flour and slightly sweetened.

Savoury Gallettes a.k.a. Savoury Crêpes (crêpes salées)

Made with buckwheat flour and unsweetened. They can also be made with wheat flour.

There are other types of crêpes as well:

Crêpes Suzette

A crêpe which is flambéed in liqueur (usually Grand Marnier) and then lightly covered in orange zest.

*Try experimenting with different types of flour. You are not confined to what is said in any recipe on this website, or any recipe for that matter. You may be pleasantly surprised with your results!

Nutella Crepe

In Other Countries

Crêpes are very popular all around the world. However, there are different names for crêpes depending on where you are in the world.

Here are the names for the crêpe in different parts of Europe:

  • Italy - crespella
  • Norway - pannekake
  • Germany - Pfannkuchen
  • Sweden - pannkaka
  • Iceland - pönnukaka
Vietnamese Crepes

In Culture

In France, crêpes are traditionally offered on a Holy day called Candlemas, or "la Chandeleur" on February 2nd. Candlemas is a feast to celebrate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus.

Church in France
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