The word crêpe translates from French as “pancake,” and its Latin root means “curled” or “rolled.” Crêpes originally came from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France that sits between the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south. The word galette originally referred to crêpes, and it means “flat cake.”
During the 12th century, the people of the region had their first encounter with buckwheat, which had been brought over from the East, so they called it “black wheat.” Crêpes made with white flour didn’t appear until the early 20th century, once white flour was no longer so expensive. White-flour crêpes are thinner than galettes, and they’re also softer and more tender thanks to the eggs, milk and butter used in the batter.
The way crêpes are cooked has changed a lot over the years, from cooking over an open fire to special appliances called in French a “billig.” The batter is spread out with a T-shaped stick called a “rozell.” In the many crêperies scattered across Brittany and in the city of Rennes, you’re first served a menu of savory galettes and crêpes, followed by a menu of sweet crêpes. A cold glass of apple cider naturally accompanies the meal.
Every year on February 2, a holiday called Jour Des Crêpes is celebrated across France, and the French definitely love their crêpes in all their forms.
Recommended crêperies in Paris where you can eat a great crêpe
Breizh Café
People living in the Brittany region who speak Breton call their homeland Breizh, and that’s where this wonderful crêperie gets its name. The place was founded by Bertrand Larcher and quickly became “the mecca of the chic crêpe” (La Mecque de la crêpe chic), as one of France’s leading food publications put it. So what’s the secret of its charm?
First, the crêpes themselves are made from a unique batter that gives them a great crispness and flavor. Second, the chef has a gift for pushing past the boundaries of traditional Breton cooking and creating combinations with Japanese cuisine (try the crêpe with shiitake mushrooms, for example). And third: location, location, location! Breizh sits right in the heart of the Marais, just a few steps from the Musée Picasso, which makes it an ideal lunch stop as you’re exploring the neighborhood.
Address: 109 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris
La Crêperie de Josselin
Interior view of La Crêperie de Josselin, photo from the Tasty Adventures blog
During the 19th century, many immigrants from the poor region of Brittany arrived in Paris, hoping to find work and build a better life. The immigrants arrived at the Montparnasse train station, so it’s no surprise that many of them decided to settle in that neighborhood. As a result, Rue du Montparnasse became the most important crêpe street in Paris, and you can still find plenty of authentic crêpe restaurants there.
The best of them, in my opinion, is La Crêperie de Josselin, and the long, winding line at its door is proof of that. Like any self-respecting crêperie, it has a huge range of savory and sweet crêpes, so if you need a recommendation, try the Couple (two layers of galette with a filling in between), and for dessert, get a crêpe with salted butter caramel.
Address: 67 Rue du Montparnasse, 75014 Paris
A recipe for French chocolate crêpes by Roy Schwartz
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes 10 crêpes
4 large eggs
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the filling: jam in your favorite flavor
Mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
Nutella
Instructions:
To make the crêpes: whisk the eggs, milk, flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a bowl until the batter is completely smooth. At this point, it’s best to chill the batter in the refrigerator for an hour.
Heat the widest pan you have over low heat, melt a little butter, and wipe it around with a paper towel. Pour a quarter cup of batter in with a small ladle, and tilt the pan back and forth so the batter covers the whole surface. Cook for one minute, then flip with a heatproof spatula and cook for another minute.
To make the filling: Option one: mix mascarpone and your favorite jam in a small bowl.
Option two: warm Nutella in a small pot over low heat while stirring with a wooden spoon.
Tips for success:
- Don’t overmix the batter.
- Sift the flour and the cocoa powder.
- It’s best to sprinkle a little sugar between crêpes to keep them from sticking as you stack them. You can freeze the crêpes, wrapped in foil and plastic wrap.
Enjoy!
A few words about Roy Schwartz
Roy Israel Schwartz began studying cooking and baking in 1998. His culinary career took him to New York, Chicago and London, where he worked at the famous restaurant of Gordon Ramsay, one of the few restaurants in Britain with three Michelin stars.
After years working in high-end kitchens, Roy decided to make a complete 180 and move into street food instead. Why, you ask? Because street food has a special kind of magic. Everything about it is more: faster, more direct, at eye level, and at a fair price. There’s no room to hide. His journey to discover and master the perfect crêpe took him to the source, to the Brittany region and its capital, Rennes.
There, he ate countless sweet and savory crêpes and worked at countless crêperies scattered along every street and tucked into every corner of that wonderful region. The experience he gained there helped him refine his recipes and flavors until he felt he had brought them to perfection. When he felt ready, he went back home and opened a crêpe stand with one goal in mind: to bring his guests the best of France, whether in a sweet or a savory crêpe.
If you’d like to taste his work, you’re more than welcome to visit his Facebook page.
Hungry? Want to read more about French food?
- If you’re looking for excellent restaurants in Paris, let me recommend this article.
- If food markets are more your thing, you can find here all of my favorite markets.
- And if you’d just like to read about French cuisine in general, feel free to click here.
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