Melissa-Smith With the world being in the depths of a pandemic, it’s hard to believe that I was in Europe on my honeymoon almost 2 years ago.
It feels like the world and my life has completely changed. Having a baby in a pandemic while living in a house under construction has been hectic to say the least. So hectic that I completely forgot our wedding anniversary is next week!
Our Honeymoon
So, I thought I would write a bit about our honeymoon in memory of that sweet bit of time that we spent in Spain and France on our honeymoon before the world was turned upside down.
Barcelona
We spent the first stretch of time in Barcelona, taking in the works of Gaudi, enjoying the sun and admiring the absolutely beautiful architecture. We stayed in this centuries old stone building with double doors draped by long white curtains that opened up into a courtyard. Truly romantic.
We walked the entire city – miles a day – and then rewarded ourselves with tasty tapas and Estrella Dam’s until the early morning hours. The food experience was unreal, especially the seafood and the jamón ibérico. Intensely braised octopus in a tomato broth is one tapa that sticks out in my mind. Served with briny olives to start every meal…ugh, so good. I’ll be booking my next trip for 2022 very soon.
Onto France!
Our next stop – Paris, France. There was definitely a different feel to this city, it reminded me of NYC in a way. It was like NYC with big brand stores and bustling streets but with the character factor turned up 1000%. Ornate buildings, cobblestone streets that led to bridges over the Seine…it was romantic with modern implements.
Because we love food, most of our time was spent eating and wandering, on repeat. For breakfast, at the boulangerie we broke into the crackly crust of fresh baguettes and flaky croissants literally minutes out of the oven. Lunch was usually a picnic of cheeses that we picked up along the way throughout the city, with a bottle of wine. We’d split this while sitting along the Seine River, playing cards or just people watching.
We’d spend our afternoons or the occasional happy hour sitting by the Seine. He taught me how to play poker while we sipped on a bottle of wine and munched on cheese and cured meats from our wanderings throughout the city.
Savory Crêpe au Fromage
Then before dinner at any of the impeccable restaurants we had snacks from different street vendors. It was here, in the shadows of Notre-dam Cathedral that we tried our first savory crêpe!
The French crêpe is a bit of a show on the street. They have this large round flat top called a bilig that they pour the batter onto and spread with a wooden utensil. The sweet varieties are typically made with nutella while savory crêpes are made with shredded gruyere cheese. The savory crêpe au fromage or “crepe with cheese”.
This was by far our favorite street food that we found. It’s served so simply, in a folded up paper plate, but the richness of the melted gruyere encased in the soft crepe was divine. Some vendors layer in some ham as well and then you have a perfect snack to hold you over until dinner.
Cuisinart Boxed Grater, Black, One Size
Savory Crêpe
Below is my recipe for wheat crêpes. The beauty of crêpes is the simplicity that creates a blank canvas for flavor. As I said, in Paris we had them filled with melted gruyere and sliced ham but you can add anything you want! At home, I sautéed up some baby portabellas with garlic and layered it with fresh spinach and cheese. Top it with a sunny-side up egg for extra protein or for a morning crêpe.
Sweet Crêpes
For the sweet variety, you can increase the sugar in the recipe to 4 tablespoons. Fill with nutella, strawberries and whipped cream, peanut butter and bananas – the possibilities never end. For breakfast, lunch, snack or dessert, crêpes are great any time of the day, and might just take you on a spontaneous trip to Paris!
Bon appétit!
Print
Parisian Crêpe au Fromage
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 9″ crêpes 1x
Description
A recipe for sweet or savory crêpes to be enjoyed with nutella or filled with shredded gruyere.
Ingredients
- 250 grams all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 1/4 cups milk
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in blender and buzz until there are no lumps. Chill overnight.
- Heat a crêpe pan or any nonstick pan to medium heat and brush on a thin layer of melted butter.
- Immediately, pour about a 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot pan and swirl in a circular motion to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. You want a very thin layer of batter to create the crêpe.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned. Flip using your fingers or a rubber spatula and cook for another 30 seconds or until lightly browned in spots.
- Wrap in a towel to steam while you cook the rest to keep them soft and pliable.
- To fill, top with your favorite toppings and cover with a lid until the cheese is melted. Fold sides inward to create a little pocket and serve!
Notes
Crêpes are really best when served the day of but will keep a day or two in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap. For sweet crêpes, increase the amount of sugar to 3 tablespoons.
- Category: appetizer
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: crepe, dessert, lunch, snack, eggs, French dessert, French street food, cheese
Happy 2 years, my Richie!
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