Like many New York residents, I’m completely obsessed with brunch.  There are so many amazing options in this city that I don’t usually make my own.  Everything is closed on New Years Day, however, and I wanted something eggy – and a little hair of the dog – so I pulled out my roommate’s crepe maker (the big flat non-stick plug-in kind) and whipped up some batter and a Bloody Mary.  Crepes are an amazing brunch option: you can easily make them ahead, and slip them between layers of wax paper for reheating later.  Recipes for crepes pop up all over my cook book collection, but I chose to go with a trusted source: the Joy of Cooking.  I had a few people over and we took a DIY approach to fillings, cobbling together various combinations of jam, cheese, and chutney.  The crepes were tasty and the company was lovely: a great start to 2011!

Crepe Batter (Makes 4 12-inch crepes, or 8-10 6-inch crepes)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. lukewarm water
2 eggs
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. sugar (for sweet crepes)

1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a food processor, blender, or mixer with whisk attachment. Let stand at room temperature for an hour.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and grease lightly with butter or vegetable oil. Pour in about 3 tbsp. of batter (for a 6-inch skillet) and turn the skillet to distribute the batter across the surface. Cook for about 20 seconds on each side until the crepe is golden in places.
3. Serve immediately with filling of choice** or set crepes aside on a cookie tray, separated by layers of wax paper. They can be kept for a couple of days in the fridge.

** More posts to come on the subject of fillings! We tried: jam, grated pecorino with parsley, apple butter, homemade chunky chutney…