One Sorry Blog

You Say Crepes, I Say Panqueques… Either Way, We All Say Grub in 5 Minutes or Less!
By Clare Nisbet

Honestly, people, impressing guests in your house with international cuisine is easier than you think. I first fell in love with crepes bought from a vendor beneath the Eiffel Tower. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes can surely attest to the fact that there is nothing in the world more romantic than strolling the cobblestone streets of gay Paris hand in hand with your age-inappropriate lover with a face covered with splotches of Nutella and a pie-hole stuffed with complex carbohydrates. My love affair continues now with panqueques, the Argentine version of the same but with one surefire winner of an addition – dulce de leche. These sweet treats are so delicious that your guests will be bowled over with your talent and worldliness, and so easy that they will be a secret you must keep.

To make the perfect panqueque or crepe: combine about a cup of flour, a cup and a half of milk, an egg and chuck them all in a blender or mix with a hand mixer. Seriously, folks, that’s it. That is ALL you need to make the mixture. The trick is to make sure your pan is warm enough (put your gas burner on about three quarters strength and make sure you use enough melted butter). Pour the batter in and swirl to make a thin layer covering the bottom of the pan. When it starts to firm (check the edges), give it the good old college flip and cook about a minute on the other side. ¡Listo! The fun part from here is filling the panqueques with treats like nutella, jam, sliced banana, coconut shavings, chocolate sauce, apple sauce, or whatever your sweet tooth desires. The joy of these little treats is that they can also be served savory, rolled with ham, cheese, tomatoes, grilled, chicken, etc. They are as easy to make as a sandwich, and suddenly lunch is hot and not cold.

Take my word for it: I have served these bad boys to many a guest who has lavished me with praise, unable to believe what a talent I am with a saucepan. If only they new how easy it was… but that’s my little secret – and now, yours. ¡Provecho!