La Chandeleur

This Christian holiday is currently celebrated on the 2 of February and commemorates the presentation of Jesus to the Temple and the purification of Mary. The name is derived in French from "La Fête des Chandelles," wherein candles at midnight as a sign of purification.

Now before you get scared off by the religious part, remember, this is s cooking blog, and there is a food related to this holiday.

CRÈPES!



Galettes

Ingredients:
450g farine sarrasin
1 L eau
2 oeufs
2 pinces de gros sel

Mix salt and flour. Add water in 4 increments. When you obtain a smooth batter, add the eggs and beat another minute. Let rest for 1-2 hours under a dish towel.

Heat pan with a small amount of butter. Pour a ladle of batter onto the pan, pouring off the excess batter in order to obtain a thin crèpe. Cook 1 minute on the first side until it no longer sticks. Turn over and add filling ingredients; starting with the egg, then the ham and cheese. When the egg is cooked, fold over the sides, leaving the the yolk showing - like the picture.

The traditional crèpe is filled with the above ingredients but can also be filled with a variety of salty or sweet fillings.

Traditionally, the buckwheat crèpes are called faltered, and the white wheat crèpes are called crèpes. For sweet, sugar and butter, cocoa, jam, or honey and lemon are recommended. For wheat crèpes, the recipe for the batter is different.

Crèpes

Ingredients:
500 g flour
8 eggs
1 L milk
100 g butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 T rhum or 1/2 bottle beer

Mix flour and eggs. Slowly add milk while whisking the batter. add vanilla extract and rhum or beer. Let sit under a covered dishtowel for 1-2 hours.
Cook in the same manner as the buckwheat galettes above.

I don't have a photo for this one, but just imagine, a crèpe filled with sweet jam, or nutella, folded into thirds, oozing out filling onto a plate decorated with chocolate sauce or whipped cream..

Both are drunk with cider...cider brut Normand.