FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Mark R. Vogel
Epicure1@optonline.net
Suzette: Woman of Mystery
Our story opens at a restaurant called the Café de Paris in
Monte Carlo in the year 1895. Prince Edward of Wales, son of Queen Victoria and
future king of England, was a regular patron. One day he and a party of other
gentlemen and the daughter of one of the men arrived for lunch. Fifteen year old
Henri Charpentier, an assistant waiter, got called upon to serve them. One of
the courses was crepes. The crepes were precooked in the kitchen but the dish
was completed by heating them in a sauce made from orange peel, sugar, and a
combination of liqueurs in a chaffing dish in front of the guests. Unexpectedly,
the alcohol caught fire thus flambéing the sauce and serendipitously creating a
new taste sensation. Edward and his guests were delighted and the Prince asked
Charpentier what he planned to call his new creation. Charpentier offered
“Crepes Princesse” but Edward, in honor of his guest’s young daughter asked if
he would name them Crepes Suzette, and hence, a classic was born. Charpentier
went on to become a world famous chef and publicized the story in his memoirs.
Charpentier’s tale is disputed by some and is not the only
version of the origin of Crepes Suzette. A more risqué variation is that Suzette
was not the daughter of one of Edward’s guests but one of the prince’s
paramours. It is also purported that a chef by the name of Monsieur Joseph
invented the dish for a German actress, Suzanne “Suzette” Reichenhurg. Even this
account has an alternative rendition. Apparently, there was a play running at
the time in which a maid named Suzette was serving the other characters
pancakes. Monsieur Joseph supplied the play with a daily allotment of pancakes.
A final account alleges that Crepes Suzette was created by a chef named Jean
Reboux for King Louis XV at the bequest of Princess Suzette de Carignan, who was
supposedly enamored with the King. It seems we’ll never know whether Suzette was
a little girl, a prince’s mistress, an actress, a character in a play, or a
princess herself.
Crepe is the French word for pancake. Crepes differ from
traditional pancakes in that they are lighter, thinner and are utilized in both
sweet and savory dishes. Crepes can be topped or filled and rolled with fruit,
meat, cheese, or vegetables. They are often accompanied by some kind of sauce
and form the basis of an appetizer or main course. Crepes Suzette are sweet
crepes accompanied by an orange flavored butter sauce, and flambéed with orange
liqueur.
Crepes are trickier to make than traditional pancakes. For
pancakes, you basically just mix the batter and then simply plop dollops of it
onto a hot griddle. Not so for crepes. Unlike pancake batter where some lumps
are of no consequence, crepe batter must be smooth and more fluid, like the
consistency of heavy cream. This is why some chefs use a blender. Next, the
batter should be rested in the refrigerator for two hours. This allows for the
flour particles to expand in the liquid and facilitates the dissipation of air
bubbles. Both of these processes create a lighter, thinner, and tender batter.
If the batter thickens upon resting, add a little water until the desired
consistency is achieved. The final point of departure from pancakes is the
cooking vessel employed. Crepe batter is not ladled onto a griddle but into a
crepe pan, a shallow, round frying pan specifically designed for making crepes.
If you don’t have a crepe pan you may employ a non-stick eight inch skillet.
BASIC CREPE RECIPE
(Makes about 16 crepes)
10 oz. milk
3 eggs
2 oz. melted butter
4 oz. flour
Half teaspoon salt
Butter and/or vegetable spray as needed
Add the liquid ingredients to a blender, mix them first, and then gradually add
the flour and salt. Blend for one minute or until all the ingredients are well
integrated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender if need be. Strain
the batter through a sieve and refrigerate for two hours.
Butter an eight inch skillet over medium heat until the butter foams, or use
vegetable spray. Pour 4 tablespoons, (two oz.), of the crepe batter into the pan
and immediately lift the pan and swirl it around to evenly cover the entire
surface. Cook for about a minute more. Lift the edge with a spatula. If the
crepe is a light brown it’s time to flip. Cook for only 30 more seconds on the
other side. Set the crepes aside and proceed with the sauce.
For the sauce:
1 stick butter.
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 large orange
Juice of 1 large orange
2 oz Grand Marnier
Melt the sugar into the butter in at least a twelve but preferably a fourteen
inch nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the zest and the juice
and simmer for a minute or two. Add the crepes, one at a time. Place them in the
skillet, coat them with the sauce, and then fold them into quarters.
Successively overlap one folded crepe over another, around the edge of the pan.
Add the Grand Marnier and either tip the pan toward the flame or use a match to
ignite the liqueur. As soon as the flames subside, serve the crepes.
