Off to the “crêperie du Port”, where Géraldine, our billig lady, awaits us with a big smile. So what’s a billig then? It’s a big round cast iron griddle for cooking crêpes! The batter is spread over the billig with a rozell, which is a kind of little wooden rake. The weight of this ‘frying-pan’ means tossing the crêpes is totally out of the question so it’s a very special skill that Géraldine is going to try and teach us.
But before we’re put to the test, a little Dutch courage: how could we possibly refuse a kir, Brittany-style? Next we have a first taste of the delights to come. Do you prefer your crêpe country-style or is seafood more your thing? Julie, one of our group of guests-cum-students, chooses the first option and orders a galette saucisse (sausage wrapped in a savoury buckwheat pancake). Official group gourmet Richard goes for the scallop-filled galette Iroise: “Deee-li-cious!” Our crêpière Géraldine presides over a true marriage of mixtures: the buckwheat pancake and the Breton crêpe. What skill! Light and frothy as lace! What’s her secret? “It’s all down to the fermentation of the batter”, she tells us. And now it’s all down to us for the dessert: which one of us is going to make the best Breton crêpe? Julie pours the batter onto the billig. A quick go with the wooden rozell and there you are! “Is it supposed to be full of holes?” Everyone bursts out laughing and Julie has another try. A knob of butter, a sprinkle of sugar – Julie has become a crêpe designer: “A crêpe with a Breton head-dress!”- beat that!
“My hands are shaking”, says Richard as he steps up to have a try. Success! “May I introduce the kangaroo crêpe, complete with pouch …” Now it’s my turn to have a go. I thought the batter was runnier than it is…which means I set a new record for thickness, and have to cook my crêpe on both sides. Whoever said making crêpe dentelles was easy? “Everyone thinks it’s child’s play”, says our hostess with delight. We all taste the fruits of our labour, and then take a vote: Richard is awarded first prize for his “outstandingly well-made, 100% Breton crêpe”. What does our champion have to say about that? “Now I’ve got my certificate, I reckon I might just open a crêperie!” Sounds good to me!
Language spoken : English
