Fête de la Chandeleur

On February 2 crêpes are offered in France on the holiday known as Fête de la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or “jour des crêpes”. 

 Part 1 : HISTORY

The word crêpe is French for pancake and is derived from the Latin crispus meaning “curled”. Crêpes originated in Brittany , in the northwest region of France,. Crêpes were originally called galettes, meaning flat cakes. 

Around the 12th century buckwheat was introduced in Brittany from the east. Buckwheat thrived on the desolate and rocky Breton moors and is called “sarrasin” or “blé noir” (black wheat) due to the dark specs that are often found in it. It is high in fiber and is an excellent plant source of easily digestive protein and contains all eight essential amino acids. Another benefit is that it is gluten free.

white flour « sweet » crêpes appeared early 20th century when white wheat flour which formerly had been as expensive as sugar, honey or meat, became affordable. White flour crêpes are more thin than buckwheat crêpes made of flour, eggs, sugar, milk, and butter of course ! :)

Crêpe making were cooked on large cast-iron hot plates heated over a wood fire in a fireplace to hot plates.

The batter is spread with a tool known as a rozel and flipped with a spatula. In Brittany, crêpes and galettes are traditionally served with cider.

To hold that cider, here's a lovely Carved Wood Breton Folk Shoe Bottle Holder

Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on this day, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.

Part 2 : RECIPE

Ingredients :

• 5 cups cold water (1.25 liter - 1 cup equals 250 ml)

• 30 g salt

• 1 kg buckwheat flour

• 50 g melted salted butter

• butter, extra

• eggs (1 per galette)

• ham (1–2 slices per galette)

• 3 tbsp grated Swiss cheese (per galette)

Instructions :
Place most of the cold water and the salt in a large bowl and mix well. Add buckwheat flour and whisk until the texture of the batter is like a ribbon when you lift the whisk. If necessary, add a little extra water ( please note extra butter is essential ingedient for delicious flavor).

Mix in melted butter until well incorporated. Cover batter and rest in the fridge for about 4 hours.
Spread enough of the batter in a hot frying pan to cover the base very thinly. When the base is dry, lower heat and rub the top with a piece of extra butter.
Bread an egg in the centre and spread the white all over the pancake, keeping the yolk intact. Sprinkle the crêpe with grated cheese and top with a slice or two of ham.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the sides of the crêpe towards the yolk to form a square. Cook for an extra 1–2 minutes and serve.

Régalez vous et bonne fortune en 2015 ! :)

Written and Created by Veronique of Etsy shop VintageFindsFrance