Crepes have been a staple in the Akwenye family since I was a little girl. It all started when my mother, who lived in Mississippi her whole life, decided to move to the south of France to become an English teacher. She was only 19 years old and had just met my dad. Though we aren’t French, French cuisine, and mainly French desserts, has always been a staple in my household. French desserts have always signified starting new things and chasing your dreams. I remember last summer I went to Paris with my family and got a crepe for the first time, It’s one of my favorite memories. Crepes will always have a special place in the Akwenye household.

When I was a little girl my job was always to mix the cinnamon and sugar and to cut the strawberries for topping and fillings for the crepe. But when I was 10 my mom finally taught me how to make crepes. The consistency of the crepe batter has always been the hardest part for me. It has to be thin, or the crepes will turn out more like a pancake than a crepe. Making the perfect crepe requires many different steps. The most important step is having a specific crepe pan, these pans have a longer handle and are thinner than most pans. Also, You have to always make sure you have what you want the crepe prepared. Also you cannot pour too much batter on to the pan or else it will overflow. My mother always taught me to scoop roughly ⅓ a cup of batter, then pour it directly in the center of the crepe pan then pick up the handle and circle the batter around till you have a perfect or close to perfect circle, this was my favorite part growing up. Once it is in a circular shape fold it into one half then put your toppings in one triangle of the halved crepe. Once this is done fold the other triangle on top of the triangle with toppings. Making crepes always takes a lot of patience because you have to make sure to not rip the crepe since the crepe is so thin. Growing up I remember getting frustrated when the first crepe didn’t come out perfect and my mom used to say “The first time you do anything it might not be perfect but you always have to try again” I try to apply this quote in my everyday life even though it is talking about crepes. 

Ingredients for 12 crepes:

• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, plus 3-4 more tablespoons for the pan 
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup of whole milk at room temperature
• ½ cup of water at room temperature
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 and ½ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

Instructions

 1. Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in the microwave or on the stove. Cool for about 5 minutes before using in the next step. The remaining butter is for the skillet.

2. Combine the cooled melted butter, flour, sugar, salt, milk, water, eggs, and vanilla in a blender or large food processor.  If you don’t have a blender or food processor, use a large mixing bowl and whisk by hand. Blend on medium-high speed for 20–30 seconds until everything is combined. The mixture will be silky-smooth and the consistency of cream. Cover the blender tightly or pour into a medium bowl, cover tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes. 

3. Cook the crepes: Use the remaining butter for greasing the pan between each crepe. Place an 8-inch skillet over medium heat and generously grease it with some of the reserved butter. If you don’t have a skillet this size, use a larger one, but make sure you keep the crepes thin. Once the skillet is hot, pour 3–4 Tablespoons (closer to 3 is best) of batter into the center of the pan. Tilt/twirl the pan so the batter stretches as far as it will go. The thinner the crepe, the better the texture. Cook for 1-2 minutes, Then fold the crepe in half and add your desired fillings to one triangle of the crepe, then fold the other on top.

 4. Enjoy!