Candlemas

When we studied abroad in Provence, the Catholic student center in our little town hosted a weekly dinner for the international students. One week in early February, everyone was really excited for "crepe day." The French really do eat crepes all the time, so I knew there must be something more to this holiday. It's not like we have a chocolate chip cookie day! After a little investigation, we figured out that the crepes were in celebration of Candlemas.

On February 2, forty days after Christmas, Mary and Joseph formally presented Jesus in the temple. As they were making the customary offering, they met two elderly prophets, Simeon and Anna, who proclaimed Jesus as a "light to lighten the gentiles." Candles are blessed at Mass on this day to celebrate the light of the world, which is how it became known as Candlemas.

Our newly-blessed candles. 

After morning Mass, we had to have crepes for lunch! I've heard two different reasons as to why crepes are eaten on Candlemas. Apparently the crepes can either represent the sun because of their round shape or swaddling clothes when they're rolled around your chosen filling.


Savory crepes {ours are filled with ham and cheese} are simply rolled like a taco. 

 
Sweet crepes {ours are topped with strawberries and nutella} are folded into quarters.

My Favorite Crepe Recipe
{from The Bonne Femme Cookbook}

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

2 eggs

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

Pinch of salt 

Directions: 

1. Place the ingredients, in the above order,  in a blender. Pulse until blended, scarping down the sides of the blender once. Refrigerate for at least one and up to forty-eight hours. 

2. Crepes need to cool individually, so place four plates on your counter, ready to receive the crepes. Brush the bottom of an eight-inch skillet with melted butter to coat it lightly. Heat over medium heat. 3. Remove the pan from heat and pour 1/4 cup batter into the hot pan, quickly swirling the pan to coat the bottom with batter. 

4. Return the pan to heat and cook until the crepe is lightly browned on the bottom and loosened from the pan, about thirty seconds. Use a spatula to flip the crepe and cook for thirty seconds more. 

5. Slide the crepe out of the pan and onto one of the plates. Repeating with the remaining batter, which should make about twelve crepes. Fill or top with whatever your heart desires!

There's a French tradition that says if you hold a coin in your right hand while flipping the crepe in your left hand and it lands in the pan, you will be prosperous in the coming year. We made a little video testing it out:



Happy Crepe Day!