La Chandeleur - jour de crêpes

Crêpes for la Chandeleur

Fête des Chandelles

(Candlemas in English) 

Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.

Yesterday I made crêpes with a seven-year-old 

and an eleven-year-old (supervised by a wild puppy).  

You hold a coin in your left hand and flip the crêpe pan in your right.  

If you can catch the crêpe, 

it means your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, 

such is the legend.  

If you drop it, the puppy will eat it and you start again

 

 

Pictured above are savory wheat crèpes 

from Crêperie Plougastel which are delicious.  

My helpers and I made the same basic recipe 

of milk, flour, eggs, butter, and a small amount of salt and sugar 

that I have been making since I first learned to cook.  

We will have garlic shrimp crêpes with a bechamel sauce. 

 

 

(miam-miam)

 

 

 

Crêperie Plougastel

47, rue du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

 

La Chandeleur - jour des crêpes!

La Chandeleur

Fête des chandelles

(Candlemas - English)

Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.

Today I will be making crêpes, holding a coin in my left hand, and flipping the crêpe pan in my right.  If I can catch the crêpe, it means my family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, such is the legend.  Also, one does not eat crêpes until after 8:00pm.

This chef at Crêperie Plougastel on Rue du Montparnasse, allowed me to take some photos of him as he deftly prepared all the crêpes for the lunch crowd.  I have been here three or four times, introduced by French friend Isabelle.  They have both savory and sweet crêpes with quick service and good prices.  On a street full of crêperies, this one is always well attended.

 

 

bon dimanche

 

 

Crêperie Plougastel

47, rue du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

 

 

 

La Chandeleur - jour des crêpes

La Chandeleur

Fête des chandelles

(Candlemas - English)

Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.

Today I will be making crêpes, holding a coin in my left hand, and flipping the crêpe pan in my right.  If I can catch the crêpe, it means my family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, such is the legend.  Also, one does not eat crêpes until after 8:00pm.

This chef at Crêperie Plougastel on Rue du Montparnasse, cheerfully allowed me to take some photos of him as he deftly prepared all the crêpes for the lunch crowd.  I have been here three or four times, introduced by French friend Isabelle.  They have both savory and sweet crêpes with quick service and good prices.  On a street full of crêperies, this one is always well attended.

Crêperie Plougastel

47, rue du Montparnasse

75014, Paris

La Chandeleur -- le jour des crêpes

For this crêpe maker, every day is le jour des crêpes.

The Catholic feast day, La Chandeleur, celebrates the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple 40 days after Christmas, on February 2nd.  It is also referred to as "Candlemas" or Candle Mass for the blessing of beeswax candles used in the church all during the year.

In France the day is celebrated with crêpes which must be eaten only after 8:00pm.  If the cook can flip a crêpe while holding a coin in the other hand, the family is guaranteed a prosperous year.  The many rituals and superstitions surrounding this date include the Groundhog Day test of whether or not the little animal sees his shadow.

We always have crêpes (if I am not traveling), and Holly goes out for her crêpes with friends.  I think that my photo is going to give you two days of feasts in one as Sunday (February 5) is World Nutella Day!  I think that I will have my crêpes with bananas, Nutella, ice cream, and a little dollop of Chantilly cream.  It is after all a feast! 

Will you have savory or sweet crêpes?

Rue Mouffetard

75005, Paris