I’ve been to Paris a few times, and one of them was with my dearest cousins for the Paris Marathon. I was finishing my Master’s Degree in Manchester, UK and and was planning to solo-travel to a few European cities for a spring break trip. When I found out my cousin would be running in the Marathon, I decided to coordinate my trip so that my time in Paris overlapped with theirs. Being in Paris with them was beyond wonderful and I am honored that I got to experience the city with them. What does this have to do with crepes? Everything!

Needless to say, a trip to Paris is not complete without a crepe from one of the many street vendors. So fresh and warm, these crepes are pure perfection and ideal for hand-held snacking while site-seeing. A few years after our trip together, my cousins gifted me my very own crepe pan as my bridal shower gift to commemorate our time together. It is one of the most thoughtful and useful gifts I’ve ever received.

Hubby and I make use of our crepe pan at least once or twice a month, on weekends when we want to make a special breakfast. I really enjoy the ritual of the weekend breakfast. We sleep late and then spend time making a cooked breakfast together. It’s cozy and makes weekends all the more coveted. To make these crepes, you don’t need a special pan (although it makes it more fun!) – just a skillet will do. Here’s how to make them (as borrowed from Connoisseurus Veg):

You’ll need
1 cup flour
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp maple syrup
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups unflavored almond milk
a little bit of water, if necessary
Toppings!! (We used fresh strawberries and kiwis because we are excited about spring, but combinations like bananas and peanut butter, lemon juice and sugar, chocolate chips and powdered sugar, hazelnut spread and *any fruit*, or even a savory filling of mushrooms and spinach, are delicious!!!)

Here’s how
Whisk together the flour, vegetable oil, vanilla, maple syrup, salt, and almond milk together. Judge it’s thickness – it should not stick too heavily to the whisk but should drip freely and easily when it’s lifted. If your batter is too thick, add small amounts of water to it until it feels thin enough. Then transfer the batter into a pourable device (I used a measuring cup) and place in the fridge. Meanwhile, prepare your toppings and make some coffee! I sliced the fruit and dissolved some strawberry jam by simmering it in a small saucepan with a few tablespoons of water. Once your toppings are ready, place your pan on medium high heat, and turn your oven on warm. When your pan is heated up (add a drop of batter – if it bubbles and firms, you’re ready), pour about 1/3 cup batter in the center and swirl until it coats the pan. Cook until the sides start to curl up and the underside is golden brown – then carefully flip with a spatula and cook until the second side is golden brown. Don’t worry if your first few don’t turn out as planned, it takes some practice! Place the crepes on a cookie sheet in the oven to keep warm while you make the remaining batter. Then, top with toppings and enjoy!!!

Serves 2