Crepes, originally hailing from the Brittany region of France, have a rich history dating back centuries. The word “crepe” itself is of French origin, derived from the Latin word “crispa,” meaning “curled.” Historically, crepes were made by pouring a thin batter of wheat flour onto a hot griddle, creating a delicate, lacy texture. They were initially called “galettes” in Brittany, where they originated in the 13th century. These early crepes were typically enjoyed as a simple, unleavened bread. By the 20th century, they had become popular not only in France but also internationally. Utah, decidedly, has a sweet tooth, but both savory and sweet crepes have crept into the Beehive State’s culinary culture. Here are a few favorite spots for finding killer crepes.
Photo courtesy of Greenhouse Coffee & Crepes
Greenhouse Raspberry Chipotle Crepe
On occasion, you’ll come across a crepe that is both savory and sweet. That is the case at Greenhouse Effect Coffee & Crepes, where they offer customers a truly unique Raspberry Chipotle with Ricotta Cheese Crepe using local ingredients including homemade ricotta made with Rosehill Dairy milk and in-house batter made from Lehi Roller Mills flour. Other boundary pushing crepes at Greenhouse Effect include a Spicy Thai Crepe, Mesquite BBQ Crepe, Peanut Butter Cup Crepe, and a savory Steak & Blue Cheese Crepe.
Dali’s Turkey Avocado Crepe
Another favorite creperie of ours is Dali Crepes Catering & Cafe, where Dalibor “Dali” Blazic and his team create some of this state’s best crepes. My favorite currently is one called Strawnana, which is stuffed with fresh strawberries and bananas, of course, along with chocolate, graham crackers, almonds, and topped with Nutella, whipped cream, caramel sauce and chocolate sticks. My wife, on the other hand, prefers Dali’s savory Turkey Avocado crepe with roasted turkey, spinach, shredded cheese, avocado, cherry tomatoes and avocado mayo, made gluten-free upon request.
Crepes & Coffee Bear Lake Raspberry Crepe
Crepes and Coffee is a jewel: a one-of-a-kind, independent, mom and pop (well, actually, it’s run by teenagers) type of shop that could only exist at an idyllic place like Bear Lake, Utah. There are breakfast crepes, sweet crepes, and savory crepes on the menu, and folks with gluten issues will be pleased to know that Crepes and Coffee offers gluten-free buckwheat batter as an alternative to their standard crepes. Hands-down the most popular crepe sold at Crepes and Coffee is the Bear Lake Raspberry Crepe, which is made with fresh, local Bear Lake raspberries, of course, plus raspberry syrup and whipped cream. I’m also quite fond of the Classico Crepe – a no-nonsense breakfast crepe with just ham, egg and cheese.
Monsieur Crepes Gluten Free Champs-Élysées Crepe
Another favorite local crepe emporium is Monsieur Crepes, which originally began as a food truck but now has a brick and mortar location in Sugarhouse. This is where French chef Maxime Ambeza and his wife Raysha Carrasco thrill customers with their killer crepes such as the oh-so sweet and delicious Champs-Élysées, made with Nutella, fresh strawberries and bananas, and chocolate syrup. This and other excellent crepes at Monsieur Crepes can be made gluten free.
Monsieur Crepes Barbie Crepe
And, how could one resist a hot pink Barbie Crepe from Monsieur Crepes?
Annie’s Cafe Flank Steak Crepe
At Annie’s Cafe in Bountiful, Annie Bennet creates crowd-pleasing crepes that run the gamut from a Loaded Chorizo breakfast crepe, Monte Cristo and Philly Cheesesteak crepes, to sweet offerings like Nutella Banana, Love Me red velvet crepe, spiced rum-infused bananas Foster crepe called The Lucy, and many more. My personal favorite at Annie’s is the Flank Steak crepe – a grilled cheddar cheese crepe with strips of marinated and grilled flank steak on a bed of organic mixed greens, topped with Argentine-style chimichurri.
Doki Doki Pride Crepe Cake
Not all crepes are flat and round, like pancakes, however. At Doki Doki Dessert Cafe, they make crepe cakes, also known as a mille crepe cake – a delicious dessert made by layering multiple thin crepes with a flavorful filling in between each layer.To make a crepe cake, a large number of crepes are cooked, usually one at a time, until they are thin and slightly crispy at the edges. Each crepe is then spread with a layer of filling, which can vary widely in flavor and texture. Common fillings for crepe cakes include pastry cream, whipped cream, chocolate ganache, fruit preserves, Nutella, or even savory ingredients like cheese and spinach for a savory crepe cake. Among the Doki Doki crepe cake flavors are passion fruit, yuzu, creme brûlée, mango, strawberry cheesecake, lavender chocolate, and many more. But we especially like the Doki Doki Pride Crepe Cake.
Do you have a favorite crepe? We’d love to hear about it!
Photos by Ted Scheffler
Culinary quote of the week: “If there’s a sexier sound on this planet than the person you’re in love with cooing over the crepes you made for them, I don’t know what it is..” – Julie Powell
Featured Image Photo Credit: Courtesy of Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash
