Did you know that this week we had the International Day of Crepes? That is true! It is a true story.

On February 2nd, which was yesterday, the world celebrated International Day of Crepes. Most of the news these days is about COVID 19, or politics, or trouble in the economy. I think that we should talk about something different.

Let’s talk about crepes.

Did you know that crepes are served in France and Belgium on February 2nd as a kind of religious holiday? I did not know that but I checked the Internet, and it is true. The holiday started back in the year 472. A church leader gave crepes to travelers who were going to Rome. Also, at that time there is a belief that if you catch a crepe in a frying pan when you throw it in the air you will have good luck. But, when you throw the crepe in the air you must also hold a gold coin in your left hand.

I think we should all try that sometime this week.

The European crepe is a very thin kind of dessert, and you have them in Japan. A lovely thin crepe is a beautiful thing, and you can put almost anything in a crepe. Crepes are made from flour, eggs, milk, and butter. But to make a beautiful crepe you need a lot of practice. There are different kinds of flour to use. There are different kinds of butter. There are different kinds of eggs. There are maybe thousands of different ways that a crepe can be made.

Many countries enjoy making crepes. Crepes are popular in over 30 different European countries, and they all have different names. In Italy, the crepe is called a “crespella”. In Greece it is called a “krepa’. In Holland it is a “pannenkoek”. In Hungary it is a “palacsinta”. The Russians make “bliny” and the Polish make “nalesniki”. But in Spain they call them “crepes”.

In my country of Canada crepes are known, but maybe not as popular. A crepe is more delicate and fancy. Canadians are not so delicate and not so fancy. In Canada a Canadian man does not eat a crepe. In Canada, a Canadian man must eat pancakes. I don’t know why. I like crepes, but I cannot tell my Canadian friends. Maybe they will think I am weak, or too delicate.

Canadian pancakes are huge. You do not order only one pancake at a restaurant. You must order a stack of pancakes. And when the pancakes are delivered to your table in the restaurant you will get four or five pancakes and a lot of butter and a lot of maple syrup. I cannot eat so many pancakes, but many Canadian men eat them all the time.

What are some things that we can put in crepes? There is a huge variety. The crepe can be something you eat for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner. Some popular fillings for crepes are fruits like strawberries, blueberries, melon, and apple. Bananas and kiwis are also nice in crepes. Crepes as a dessert can have whip cream or chocolate, caramel or cream cheese. Lunch crepes can have chicken or shrimp, avocado, bacon and mushrooms. It is really a wonderful thing to enjoy a crepe and I have never seen an unhappy person eat one. Have you?

It may be that at this time in 2021 we feel like we are still in the dark because of COVID 19, but I hope that you will feel like sometime this week is a good time to eat a crepe. And if you can’t get crepes, you can make a Canadian pancake. That is easy enough to do.

And if you call your crepe an Italian “crespella” or a Greek “krepa” or a Russian “bliny”, it does not matter. Eat a crepe to chase away any sad and dark feelings. Today is a good day for crepes.

Thank you very much and have a great day!