Crêpes

So since my arrival in Paris, I have been eating loads and loads of crêpes, as, undoubtedly, it is one of the greatest culinary wonders of France. To better appreciate this artful melange (yes I'm using the English of this word here, so that I don't come off as any more pompous as use of this word usually indicates) of flour, milk, eggs, and really, anything else in the entire world (therein quite possibly lies the source of the crèpe's amazingness), I have decided to keep a running list of all the crêpes I have eaten and will eat during the course of my month and a half in France.

1. Ham, Egg, and Cheese - my first crepe of the summer, nice and simple, thought a bit plain for my taste. Probably wouldn't order again if other (read: more interesting) crepes were available. Location: rue Cler, during French street market walk.

2. Chocolate and Chantilly - You may ask, what's Chantilly? which is exactly what I asked, but out of embarrassment disguised as a desire to live life on the edge (come on, really now), I had to order the crepe and watch it made to realize Chantilly is just the French word for whipped cream. Which the girl making the crepe proceeded to fill my entire crepe with before I could react to tell her that I, in fact, don't like whipped cream at all. But by then it was too late. At least the chocolate crepe left over after I dutifully ate all the chantilly was quite good. In the end, still worth it. Location: Latin Quarter, little cafe with blue awning, adorable.

3. Sugar and Grand Marnier - Another one of my "order and find out" adventures, which, like the first, didn't turn out so well. After taking more than a few bites of this crepe, I realized I definitely did not like the taste of liquor in my crepe, no matter how sugary. Location: Eiffel Tower, most touristy place ever, second only to Montmartre (maybe).

4. Emmental, Roquefort, and Walnuts - only one word to describe: heaven. Salty, wonderful, heaven (okay maybe three words). After coming to Paris, I, like my friend Nico (see his blogpost on cheese here: http://cheesewineandvillage.blogspot.com/2010/06/aged-cheese.html), have fallen madly in love with Roquefort cheese, and even more with these cheese and walnut crepes I had after visiting Sacre-Coeur the first time. Salty, pungent, rich, and with just the right amount of bite added in by the walnuts, this crepe was absolutely to-die-for. Upon recounting the story of this magical crepe to my host family, they indulged me by making one for me at dinner earlier this week. Bliss. Divine bliss. Location: Montmartre, roadside stand. Dinner, homestay.

5. Foie gras, Fig jam, Pine nuts, Salad, and some kind of Prosciutto-like meat - I realize this description does nothing to describe the level of sophistication and truly gourmet quality of this amazing crepe that I had today on my way between museums. But it was truly amazing. My first time having actual foie gras and my first time eating such an elaborate crepe. It was actually called a galette, which is essentially a crepe open flat on the plate with the toppings sitting on top (where else?), as opposed to a rolled-up or folded crepe. Quite a crepe, and I definitely enjoyed it, though I was actually quite surprised by the flavor and texture of the foie gras. I think I will have to try it again to decide whether or not I actually like it. An amazing experience regardless. Location: near Place des Vosges, super cute boutique-crêperie.

I believe that is it for the time being, though I'm sure not for long. 5 crepes in 12 days, I'd say that is a good running start for my list, but I am in no way satisfied (neither is my stomach). I'll be sure to update with all subsequent crepe adventures, so if you're interested and willing to drool a bit, stay tuned!

Until next time, salut!