The Perfect French Crepe

French Crepe with Butter and Sugar (Beurre-Sucre)

My kids, especially Francesca, have an obsession with the French version of the American omelette. Visiting the Crepe Delice stand on rue Saint-Denis by my Mom's flat was part of our daily ritual whenever we were in Paris. The short walk through the alley of sex shops, prostitutes and smoky immigrant cafes is a cultural lesson in itself. I'm not the type to prevent my kids from these colorful travel experiences.

Paper thin crepe topped with butter and sugar is their all time favorite. Though Nutella and banana comes a close second. After years of trying to find a recipe to duplicate the savory goodness of the Paris crepe, I finally stumbled upon one simple recipe that recreates the perfect French Crepe. My French brother-in-law, Raph Blot, in his true French form, said that my crepe cannot duplicate his mother's recipe. The true test came last December during our family vacation in Buenos Aires. Raph finally tasted my crepe, and much to his disbelief said that "it came very, very close to his mother's crepe." I believe he asked for seconds. Ahhh...the French.

THE PERFECT FRENCH CREPE

1 cup flour

3/4 cup water

2/3 cup milk

3 eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour - you can skip this step if the kids are really hungry. Cook in batches in a crepe pan. Place preferred toppings, fold and serve. It helps to have a crepe spatula. Yield: 8 small crepes or 4 large ones (the way my kids like it).

Cook on a stove top and place toppings before folding the crepe.