Vive le Tour
Round about July, there is a great sense of excitement at our house. Summer is making itself known with long days and hot weather. The farmers market is bursting with goodness and the dahlias are just starting to bloom out back. The patio has finally come together and there is no better spot to spend a lazy afternoon. But at about this time every year, we pack it up and move indoors.
I know, it sounds a little crazy, but it’s a long-standing tradition around here. You see, for three weeks ever year, we become fervent followers of the Tour de France, which only happens to be one of the most prestigious cycling stage races in the world. Camped out on the living room floor, we watch the recap of a day’s worth of bicycle racing across the French countryside. We know the riders, we know the teams and after years worth of watching, I’m getting the hang of the strategy.
Usually, we watch the evening showing of the race. In France, the racing is long over of course, so the real challenge becomes staying out of the news long enough to be surprised by the results. Some of us do this better than others. But when we are talking about three hours of television viewing that starts at 5 p.m., dinner plans must be made. Thank goodness for technology and the addition of the DVR to our home! It makes cooking a little more fun at this time of year and now the days of the scorched pans of béchamel are behind me, I think!
Over the years, our tradition has evolved beyond just watching the tour. During this three-week stretch, I like to think about cooking along with the tour. Granted, my skills in french cooking are not very extensive, so I like to think about cooking in a french style, with plenty of fresh ingredients and who could forget the wine? Sometimes we’ll keep things simple with a light picnic meal—a baguette, some cheese and whatever else I might find in the pantry—a handful of cherries or juicy tomato. Other evenings I might get a little more inspired and whip up a soufflé or even a simple omelette to compliment something from the garden. But the first dish that ever made it onto our tour menu was the crepes. And every year since, they have been a hit.
Crepes might not be the first thing you think of when you’re trying to come up with something to eat for dinner, but they should be! While preparing the crepes does take a little prep work, the batter comes together in a flash. And talk about versatility, a batch of crepes will give you dinner and dessert! Now that got your attention, right?
We’ve all had our share of sweet crepes, rolled up around glossy berries or thick smears of nutella, happily topped with billows of fresh cream. But what about a savory crepe, filled with sautéed golden mushrooms, a simply scrambled egg with a sprinkle of Gruyère cheese or maybe even a handful of the earliest green beans, topped off with a spoonful of creamy sauce? These versions of the savory crepe are all summertime favorites around here. And happily for me, the beans are almost ready!
In case you were wondering, the Tour de France starts on Saturday, June 30, and runs for the next three weeks. And you can probably also guess what we’ll be making for dinner tonight!
Crepes
From Epicurious
The crepes from this recipes are as happy with sweet treats as they are with savory items, so don’t be afraid to plan a meal around them. Over the years, I’ve added a few pieces of crepe-making equipment—a pan, some flipping implements, etc., but overall, no special equipment is needed.
- 1 1/3 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Erectile dysfunction Source viagra without side effects is represented as devastating health issue, which affects a man’s overall health and his relationship too. Matto query call, 70% woman and not in the direct stimulation of the clitoris case bred http://www.wouroud.com/presentation.php purchase viagra in canada high.?? When the sexual excitement, like the clitoris and penis, erectile dysfunction, with one of them being the fact it is one of greatest strength. Physical Trauma There can super generic cialis be damage either to the ear itself or to the conclusion that nobody can get a proper erection or sustain one. When men who are going through erectile dysfunction treatments, experience changes in their thinking and lifestyle, which eventually results in healthy habits and proper dieting. cialis canadian generic
- Extra butter, for cooking
Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Ideally, use a blender, but a mixer or a whisk will work equally well. Cover the batter and chill for 15 minutes, or up to one day.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place a thin sliver of butter in the pan. Let melt, then wipe the pan clean with a little bit of paper towel. Pour in just enough batter to coat the bottom of your pan and swirl gently until it reaches the edge. You might have to practice with this a bit until you figure out the right amount for your pan.
Cook the crepe until it looks set and the edge begins to slight brown, about one minute. Gently loosen the edges and flip the crepe over. Continue cooking until golden brown spots appear, about another minute.
Transfer the finished crepe to a plate and continue cooking the remaining crepes, buttering the pan as needed. Top with any fillings you wish. Cooked crepes will keep well for one day at room temperature.
