Aunt Valeda’s Crêpes

In those summers of ’73 and ’76 when we drove from Alaska to Cape Cod we would stop for a good visit with my mother’s Aunt Valeda in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Aunt Valeda had a lovely home in residential Rice Lake. I remember the amazingly scary thunder storms in the Midwest as we never experienced thunder storms in Alaska. The most impressive part of the neighborhood was the fact that right across the street sat a market that was owned by Aunt Valeda and Uncle Joe. We couldn’t believe our great fortune when we were told we could walk across the street and pick out an ice cream bar for dessert after dinner. This was true blue novelty! And Aunt Valeda was the sweetest, shortest aunt I’d ever seen. The French Canadian aunty was sparkly and she knew how to make crêpes. She made them every time we visited and we ate them with butter and maple syrup and raved.

Aunt Valeda’s Crêpes

• 5 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• sea salt to taste
• butter for frying

Optional ingredients:

• 1 pint whipping cream
• 1 pint fresh raspberries or berry of your choice
• maple syrup/butter

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk or blender until smooth. For each crêpe, on medium heat melt a small pat of butter in skillet and spread around pan. Pour batter into skillet. Pick up pan and spread batter evenly around pan by tilting pan so the crêpe is a thin as possible and covers the whole surface of the skillet. Fry until lightly brown (adjust temperature as needed), then flip crêpe to lightly brown the second side (usually short time) and serve. Can be served filled with whipped cream and raspberries (or berry of your choice) or simply topped with butter and maple syrup. Serves 4-6.

Whipped Cream

• 1 pint whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon sugar or honey (optional)

Put whipping cream in blender bowl and whip on highest speed until soft peaks are formed. Add vanilla and sweetener of your choice and whip only a short time. Serve immediately.

Source: from the files of Carol Mack