We were recently told of a wedding where crepes were available for guests. Nothing strange in that – we own a mobile creperie and we specialise in weddings, so we’ve seen plenty of weddings where crêpes are available. However, the one we were told about was slightly different. The crepe chefs were using amateur equipment.
Apparently they were using cheap supermarket crepe machines and weren’t very skilled at making the crepes – which were turning out more like scones or American style pancakes. As a professional crepe chef, I can understand this. Making a good quality crepe takes literally years of practice and using professional quality equipment is essential. I have used the supermarket crepe machines at friends houses who have them in the kitchen, and I invariably embarrass myself. Even as someone who makes them for a living, I struggle to produce something of quality using what I would politely describe as a toy.
That said, I do think that every kitchen should have one . The pancakes that can be made on them are actually OK – they just aren’t suitable to offer to wedding guests! As far as I am concerned the more interest there is in crepes and pancakes the better, and I would love the UK to adopt them in the same way they have been embraced in France. The result of the referendum may have quite an influence on that!
Regarding wedding catering, if you are considering hiring a crêpe stand (and of course, I strongly recommend that you do!) then you really do have to remember that there is a certain level of skill required in making great crepes. So that means you need to ensure that you hire a professional, long-established mobile crepe company who will take your wedding seriously. If you don’t, you risk hiring a ‘have-a-go’ hobbyist who will turn up and serve your guests nutella drenched drop scones, made on a toy crepe machine!
