One of the main ways people seem to connect and do Ministry all over the world is through and over food. While on the Race, I think I have eaten more food than I have in the rest of my life combined. So many people with so much food! It is the easiest way to cross cultures and fill a need.
My first day of ministry in Romania was spent hanging out with a local missionary family from Mexico who has lived here for ten years. They are an amazing family who loves God and food! We didn’t really even speak the same language, but we laughed all day and poured into each other because we connected over some awesome food.
It wasn’t until I sat there hanging out, watching Mr. Bean, teaching English to their kids, eating food, and learning how to make some of the food that I freshly realized how integral food is to culture. You can talk to someone in a store, on the street, or in the back of the church after a service but isn’t until you have food with them that you understand them, their culture, and a lot more about who they are. It simply opens people and conversations up to go deeper.
The day I spent with the family for Mexico, we had pork and onion pickled cabbage rolls, fresh hot bread that was to die for, and the most amazing crepes I have yet to have! Crepes are apparently a big part of the culture here. I told our Mexican host, Diana, that I enjoyed crepes so she said she would teach me how to make them that day!
We stepped into the kitchen after lunch, and we laughed our way through making crepes. I honestly believe it was a refreshing and filling time for both of us. It was a day well spent!
So you can also enjoy some local crepes, here is what I learned that day! Enjoy!
NOTE: This is a very large batch… We fed 15+ people with this much. You may want to cut everything in half.
You Will Need:
For Crepes
- 1 Kilo (about 8 cups) all purpose flour
- 6 eggs
- 2 T vanilla extract
- 3 T white sugar
- A dash of salt
- Milk (About equal parts flour and milk. I think she used half again as much milk as she did flour, though.
For Filling
- 2 cups cream cheese or ricotta cheese (Your choice. We used ricotta)
- Enough sugar until desired sweetness
- 1 T vanilla extract
OR
- Nutella
OR
- Raspberry Jam
OR
- Your choice: Bacon and eggs, taco stuff, nuts and whip cream, fresh fruit. Anything you think would be good! Have fun with it!
Cooking the Crepes
1) In a large bowl mix together: flour, eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, and 3 cups milk.
2) Mix until smooth and without lumps.
3) Add remainder of milk until it matches the consistency of heavy wiping cream or thin eggnog.
4) Cover and put in the fridge for 30 minutes or until cold.
5) While the batter is in the fridge, mix cream/ricotta cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in small bowl to make the filling.
6) Place filling in the fridge as well.
7) Once the batter is cold, preheat a pan on medium heat. Once hot, spoon on about a regular eating spoon’s worth of oil into the pan.
8) Pour enough batter into the pan that it barely covers the bottom. May need to swirl the pan to cover the bottom. You are going for tortilla thickness pancakes.
9) Once the top looks dry flip the crepe. It should be golden-brown on both sides when done.
Filling the crepes:
1) While hot, place the crepe on a plate. Smear filling over the whole crepe in a thin layer.
2) Roll the crepe to make a tube.
Eating (the best part!)
1) The proper way to eat them is to fold the tube in half so that both ends are together and forms a U shape.
2) Hold in your hands and eat the open ends first working your way to the U-shaped bend. This way nothing falls out.
3) Enjoy with Friends. It is a social dish.
And there you have it! Crepes from Romania. Make some crepes, invite some people over to your house, and do life with them. God does amazing things with shared meals!
Blessings to you and your tummy!
Elise
