french crepes.

It's nearly summer already~ but it doesn't really feel like it. The weather's been quite erratic lately. One day it'd be warm and sunny and by the next it would be freezing with the dreary sky firing a barrage of hail and rain upon the City.

Take today for instance, there was not a cloud in the sky this morning when I stepped onto campus, but as soon as I walked out of the Humanities after my Japanese final... I was greeted with heavy droplets of icy cold. Unfortunately I didn't bring an umbrella. Being the crazy me and seeing a clear blue sky in the morning, I decided that I didn't need one. -__-; Oddly, I welcome and love weather like this. The lack of continuity adds a bit of spice to the dull routine of life. I don't think my hair and clothes are too happy about it though.

But...

I'd still like to be able trade in my boots and woolen coats for a nice summer dress and sandals, lounging under the cool shade of a tree, staving off the dull summer heat with a cold glass of limeade.

Oh summer. Do hurry~ you're fast slipping away from my memory.

But a nice stroll through the farmer's market is more than enough to remind me of those seemingly endless beautiful days basking in sunlight (a much less depressing and stressful reminder than final exams). With the bountiful rains bring a plethora of fresh fruits and veggies and...

  Strawberries! A perfect piece of tart and sweetness, bursting with juice. Lovely just by themselves... but even better with whipped cream and crepes!

Yep. Simple, yet oh so decadent! Life is good. All I need right now is a nice cup of strong tea and I'm set.

French Crepes (adapted from about.com)

We'll need:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2tbls granulated sugar
1/4tsp salt
3 eggs
2 cups milk
2tbls melted unsalted butter (plus 2-3tbls more for oiling the pan)
1tsp vanilla (optional)


sliced strawberries
whipped cream... any filling of your choice.

Utensils:
2 mixing bowls
measuring cups/spoons
sieve
whisk
ladle
non-stick or a well-seasoned cast-iron pan
pastry brush
flipping spatula
plate

~Sift together the flour, salt, and sugar into one of the mixing bowls. Set aside. In the other bowl, beat the eggs and milk together.

~Carefully sift in the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is free of lumps. (If there are still lumps after whisking, you can pour the mixture through a sieve to get rid of them). Once combined, whisk in the melted butter and vanilla. The consistency should be similar to that of melted ice cream. If it's a bit too thick, just add in a tablespoon or two of milk. Cover the mixture and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour. (Give the batter a good stir after removing it from the fridge, as the flour may settle to the bottom)

~Heat the pan on medium heat, brush lightly with the melted butter. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, swirling it until the entire surface is covered. If there are holes, just ladle a bit of batter to cover them. If there is too much batter, you can pour it back into the bowl.

~When the edge of the crepe turns golden, carefully slide the spatula under and flip it, cooking for another 5-7 seconds. Slide the finished crepe on a plate and continue with the next one, brushing the pan with butter as necessary.

~Once you've a plateful of crepes, the possibilities of what you can do with them are boundless~ serve with a smear of Nutella, whipped cream, honey, melted chocolate, fruits, peanut butter or with savory fillings such as caramelized onions and bacon. It's all up to you... or your stomach. =]

Here are a few ideas:

~Put a few dollops of sweetened whipped cream on a crepe along with a few slices of strawberries (or any other type of fruit) and roll it up~







Or if you're having company and want to add a touch of elegance, here's how to make "crepe cake."

~Simply apply a thin layer of sweetened whipped cream onto a crepe and fill with a fruit(s) of your choice or anything you please. The sky's the limit!
 Instead of cream, you can also use a custard, mousse, or lemon curd.

~Then place another crepe on top of the previous and repeat until you're satisfied with the amount of layers. Dust the top liberally with powdered sugar, and garnish as desired.

*You can roll up a crepe, thinly slice it, and nest it on top of the "cake" for a nice touch.