Pancakes have always been an essential part of the weekly menu plans. There are lots of sides to a pancake, from the thick ones to stuffed or light paper-thin ones and the sweet or savoury ones. The ease of making delicious pancakes, as a quick morning breakfast, is what makes it a favourite for both the chef and the hungry mouths. One of the family favourites, is the crêpe or crepe.
These light thin pancakes were originally a part of the ancient Greek cuisine, which was one of the earliest creations made on the frying pan like vessels. Though etymologically speaking, the French “crêpe” can be traced to the Latin crispa, the latter means with “creases”. Made both sweet (crêpes sucrées) and savoury (crêpes salées), they can have a variety of fillings, as simple as sugar to the caramelized buttery crêpes Suzette or in flambé style.
Per the norm, sweet crêpes are made with wheat flour (farine de froment) with fillings of chocolate or fruit spread, preserves, sugar, maple or golden syrup, whipped cream, sliced soft fruits or confiture; usually had as a breakfast or dessert special. While savory crêpes though made usually with wheat flour, can be made with non-wheat flours such as buckwheat, rice flour, powdered oats flour, chickpea flour or even sago grains, especially for those who require gluten-free meals. Fillings for the savoury crêpes include cheese, mushrooms, egg products and various meat products.
With simple ingredients, batter can be made and voila crêpes are ready for meals time. Experimenting with diverse recipes, one of the special recipes used when my cousin comes down for a visit is the “thalipeeth”, A savoury multi-grain pancake prepared from roasted grains (rice, wheat, bajra, jowar), legumes (chickpea, black gram) and spices like cumin, crushed star anise or coriander. For the batter ingredients like finely diced onions, fresh coriander or finely chopped vegetables, depending on the mood of the hour. Other flour types include that of tapioca or amaranth seeds; though they all go by local names depending on the regional variations and local flavours. Often served with milk, yoghurt or ghee, it is popular as a breakfast dish or an early evening snack meal.
Made any way, crêpes make for a pleasant morning start or that light touch of sweetness after the lunch. Most of all, they are easy for busy dads and even children, especially when mothers are on the night shift or on out of the town work projects. Getting started with a family crêpes tradition, would be a good project to keep the small hands busy and for light delicious moments of laughter and fun.
Sugar And Spice... Among Other Things 
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