French Classics Made Easy: Savory Stuffed Crepes

October is National Cookbook Month and that makes me very happy.  My very first cookbook was the Junior Betty Crocker cookbook given to me by my grandmother in the 60s. I made every recipe in the book! These days, with Pinterest, food blogs, and thousands of recipe sites on the web, it is so easy to get a recipe complete with photos and advice for making the recipe successful.  All you need is a good internet connection like Spectrum and you are good to go! However, there is nothing like the satisfaction of holding and using a real cookbook.  

Cookbooks have been around since the 3rd century BC, and I don't see them going away anytime soon. I was recently in a bookshop and was simply giddy at all the new cookbooks available.  I found a new-to-me book called French Classics Made Easy by Richard Grausman (the link takes you to the book on Amazon, so if you buy it, this blog makes a small commission!) Read my review below.

About the book

Classic French food is hotter than ever. But one thing hasn’t changed―few of us have the time, the patience, the technique, or the cream and butter allowance to tackle the classics as presented by Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The good news is―we don’t need to. For the past 40 years Richard Grausman, America’s premier culinary teacher, has been training American chefs in a simpler, better way of French cooking, and in French Classics Made Easy―a refreshed and updated edition of his original collection, At Home with the French Classics―he shares all of his extraordinary innovations and techniques. Golden soufflés in ten minutes. A light and luscious chocolate mousse that can be made as a cake, a chocolate roll, soufflé, or pudding. Plus Cassoulet, Boeuf Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, Bouillabaisse, Poached Salmon with Beurre Blanc―in all, 250 impeccably clear, step-by-step recipes in range of anyone who knows how to boil water or dice an onion.

When a step isn’t critical, Grausman eliminates it. If something can be done in advance, he does it. Plus he’s cut the amount of butter, cream, egg yolks, salt, and sugar; the result is health-conscious recipes that don’t compromise the essential nature of the dish. Techniques are illustrated throughout in-line drawings. It’s the grandness of French cuisine, made accessible for both entertaining and everyday meals.  from Amazon

About the author

Richard Grausman, one of the country’s premier cooking teachers, holds the Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, for which he became the first exclusive U.S. representative. He’s contributed articles and recipes to Food & Wine, New York, House Beautiful, and other magazines. He is the founder and president of the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), a nonprofit that works through public schools to prepare underserved high school students for college and careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Mr. Grausman and his wife live in New York City.

My Take

I have made several recipes in this cookbook and have found them all to be clear t o follow, with wonderful explanations and suggestions. I even believe that this book is better than the internet, as all my French recipes are in one location, and the internet never goes down! 

I decided to make the savory stuffed crepes.  The recipe in the book isn't much different than what you see on the internet. I won't publish the book's recipe but I will tell you what I learned

1.  Find a great crepe batter.  The best savory crepes use buckwheat flour, which is something I learned when we went to San Diego and spoke with a man who opened a Crepery there.  

2.  Use a blender to mix the batter.  Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

3.  Use a skillet whose bottom is the size of the crepe you want.

4.  Heat the pan over medium heat before you start to cook.

5.  Use a rubber spatula to lift the edges of the crepe (edges are brown) then use your fingers to flip it over.  If you move quickly enough, your fingers won't get burned.

6.  Use waxed paper between crepes if you plan to store any in the refrigerator.

I truly hope that each of you buy this book and learn to make some wonderful French food!

Check out my friends' posts for National Cookbook Month! 

 National Cookbook Month

• Betty Crocker Blueberrry Muffins by Art of Natural Liviing
• BBQ Chicken Tortilla Wraps by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting by An Affair from the Heart
• Chickpea Tortilla Soup by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Chocolate Crepes by That Recipe
• Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies by Jen Around the World
• French Classics Made Easy: Savory Stuffed Crepes by Our Good Life
• German Chocolate Cookies by Blogghetti
• Helga's Meatballs by Palatable Pastime
• Lima Beans with Bacon and Mustard by Food Lust People Love
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins by Family Around the Table
• Vegan Green Loobia Polo by Magical Ingredients
• Wild Rice and Onion Bread by Karen's Kitchen Stories