If it’s Friday, it must be France …
Sweet or savoury?
Now that we’ve finished celebrating January in France by eating la galette des rois, the king’s cake, it’s time to sweep away those crumbs and haul out the crêpes pan!
February 2nd, is La Chandeleur, Fête des Lumières, Jour des Crêpes. You might know it as Candlemas.
Churches will celebrate the tradition of the lighting of candles.
Then it will be all about … what else, this IS France … food!
Crêpes and cidre. Unlike our apple cider, this drink has a touch of alcohol.
The day is often accompanied by fortune telling and in many kitchens, crêpes are flipped in the air with the pan in one hand and a coin in the other. If the crêpe lands back in the pan, the year will be a prosperous one. Children hold their breath in anticipation!
Similar to our North American, Groundhog Day, there’s a prediction about winter. “Rosée à la Chandeleur, hiver à sa dernière heure.” If there is dew at dawn, winter will soon be over.
As the French do so well, the day is a fun-filled, family time. If you’re tempted to celebrate your own Jour des Crêpes, they are delicious and light and easy to make. Click right here for a recipe.
There are crêpe stands or crêperies everywhere in France and today, as well as through the weekend, there will be few people not enjoying this simple and delicious food with a filling of choice ~ sweet or savoury. Crêpes have a history that goes back to Biblical times and in France, Britanny is said to have established the true crêpe recipe.
Get in line right here! Bon appétit!
Have you ever made crêpes? Which do you prefer, the French crêpe or it’s slightly heavier English cousin, the pancake? Are you a fan of sweet or savoury?
Here’s what The Good Life France has to say about French traditions on February 2nd.
About Patricia Sands
Ah! Chandeleur. Did you hear the version I was told, that people originally made pancakes on this day because the sun at this time of year, all washed out and pale and sitting in a whitish sky looks just like …. a pancake? No idea if it’s true, but I like it!
Thanks, Margaret! There’s always another version to these old traditions! Will you eat a crêpe today or will you call it a pancake in England?
This was an interesting video clip. I liked seeing how he spread the batter and how he flipped the crepe and folded it so perfectly. For me, it would be a savoury filling but it would be good with anything, I’m sure.
I think he’s had some practice, don’t you? A good French crêpe is hard to resist!
I love crepes, sweet and savoury, and hope to have some while in France in May. I make a mean German pancake but have not mastered the French crepe yet. The British folks I know call a crepe a pancake and are not familiar with my thick fluffy German pancakes. A great video.
Where will you be in May, Darlene? We will just miss each other again. I will be in Italy in May and not get to Nice until June 5th. Enjoy the crêpes when you are there!
We plan to drive to Versailles, stopping in Bordeaux, and stay with friends who will show us around Paris. It will be my first time in Paris!! Quite excited.
I love crepes. I sometimes make them for breakfast here at the Baer House. I usually do a fruit filling with sweet cream of some sort on top. Yummy.
Of course, I’d never compare mine to anything they make in France, but I think they’re pretty dang good.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Delish! I have a Jacques Pepin crepes recipe I love. I will have to try yours.
Bon appétit! Did you make crêpes on the weekend?
I made crêpes on Friday night! I would not miss that for an empire 🙂
I also make some on Mardi Gras. I always use my mother’s recipe. When my kids lived at home I tripled the batch, so we had a big meal. Now I often make only a few and my husband and I eat them as dessert. But last Friday we went for a whole meal. You can see a few pics on my blog if you want.
https://evelyneholingue.com/2018/02/03/belated-french-friday-cest-ouf-to-meet-smart-kind-middle-school-students-on-crepes-day/
Merci, Evelyne, for sharing the photos of your crêpes. I have no doubt your mother’s recipe is “the bomb”. Your school presentation sounds wonderful and I’m sure the students loved it. You are, after all, the real deal … une vraie fille francaise!
patricia, I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW VERY MUCH I ENJOYED “DRAWING LESSONS”. IT IS MY FAVORITE, I HAVE ALL FOUR OF THE OTHERS, BUT THIS ONE IS OUTSTANDING AND ” SPEAKS TO ME”. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR NEXT ONE. ANOTHER AUTHOR I ADORED WAS PETER MAYLE. HAVE ALL HIS BOOKS, AND WAS SO SAD TO READ THAT HE PASSED AWAY. ONLY 78, SO SAD. HE HAD SO MANY MORE BOOKS TO WRITE. I THINK HE IS WHO TURNED ME ONTO FRANCE. NEVER BEEN THERE, DOUBT I WILL EVER MAKE IT. I JUST HAD MY 86TH BIRTHDAY. YOU ARE LIVING THE LIFE I DREAM OF ,,,, OR USE TO. OH WELL, DOUBT YOU WILL SEE THIS OR COMMENT, I HOPE YOU HAVE READ LOTS OF MAYLE,,,, HURRY AND FINISH YOUR NEXT BOOK. YOUR FRIEND, JOY WOOD
Joy, how lovely to hear from you. I’m delighted Drawing Lessons meant so much to you. I agree about the loss of Peter Mayle. I enjoyed all of his books and will miss his presence. Are you still in Naples? My husband and I winter here now too. I am speaking at the Marco Island Writers Club on Wednesday, February 21, if you are in the area. It would be lovely to meet you after all these years.