Le Jour des Crêpes - Crepes Day!

When February 2nd comes around each year, in the US, we think of a little shy brown furry creature that wakes from his slumber, ventures out in the bitter cold, and is either wearing his sunglasses or wiping the sleepies from his eyes. 

We call this Ground Hog Day. 

[3]: www.barefootoffshore.com

 For many of us, who especially live in the cold, dark corners of the United States, rely on this information to get us through the remaining weeks of winter. If the ground hog sees his damn shadow, we're invested into another six more weeks of winter. This news is intolerable for many, and vacations are booked immediately to warmer locations like Mexico and the Caribbean. Punxsutawney Phil and Pothole Pete are the famous duo always competing for attention, trying to out do each other's fortune telling for winter's curious predictability. 

I believe they are at a tie.

Le Jour des Crêpes

En France, 2 fevrier 2013

J'adore les crêpes!  So why not celebrate Le Jour des Crêpes with France? I have nothing against ground hogs, just long, dark and cold winters. In fact,  Ground Hog Day and La Chandeleur have similar predictions regarding the duration of wintertime. However, the French eat a lot of wonderful crêpes to get through it. On La Chandeleur, a bit of fortune telling goes on too. It is tradition to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year. [1]  My lucky penny has worked every time!

My favorite French proverbs and sayings for La Chandeleur:

À la Chandeleur, le jour croît de deux heures
On Candlemas, the day grows by two hours 

Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perte
Candlemas covered (in snow), forty days lost 

Crêpes are traditionally served on Candlemas (La Chandeleur), February 2. This day was originally Virgin Mary's Blessing Day, but became known in France as "Le Jour des Crêpes" (literally translated "The Day of the Crêpes", but sometimes given colloquially as "Avec Crêpe Day" or "National Crêpe Day" [2]  MORE HISTORY OF CREPES

The next time the ground hog comes out with his "Ray-ban" sunglasses, announcing six more weeks of winter, I won't get depressed, because I will be making crepes instead! Les Crêpes are one of my favorite foods. They are so versatile, light and tasty. They can either be made sweet, savory or sumptuous. I hope you have a creative day and make some crepes any way! Hey, that rhymes!

Crêpes Recettes :

Basic Crêpe Recipe:
Serves 6

• 2/3 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. super fine sugar or Splenda(omit sugar if making them savory)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2c. whole milk
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 4 Tbsp. water (to thin if necessary)

Instructions:
in mixing bowl, add flour, salt, sugar, mix. Make well in middle, add beaten eggs, milk and melted butter. Whisk well until batter is smooth. Set aside to rest and incorporate for an hour in refrigerator. 

You will notice that the mixture has thickened. You may add a little water to thin. 

Heat two (7-8") crepe pans (preferably non-stix) over medium heat. Add a dab of butter to coat the pans. My first crepe is always a sacrificial lamb (my tester) to let me know if my pan is hot enough or too hot. Use a soup ladle or 1/2 c. to pour batter into pan. Quickly tilt and rotate pan to spread batter evenly around pan. To flip, I drop into second pan to cook the other side. Cook on each side, 1-minute. I gently use a spatula to free the crepe from pan.

Continue cooking the crepes, stirring the batter each time and brushing pan with butter. Use can use a piece of wax paper or cloth under crepes' stack. Crepes can be made in advanced, chilled (or stored in freezer for up to 6 months in a tightly sealed zip-lock freezer bag).  

WORLD OF CREPES  

LOTS OF RECIPES AND IDEAS FOR BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER & DESSERT

Eggs Benedict with Crepes

http://www.world-of-crepes.com/breakfast-crepes-recipes.html

Banana Split

http://www.world-of-crepes.com/banana-split-dessert-recipe.html

[1] http://french.about.com/od/culture/a/chandeleur.htm

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cr%C3%AApe

[3] photo reference http://www.barefootoffshore.com/2012/02/ground-hogs-day-2012/

corde a linge - clothes line

Did you know that it's illegal to hang your clothes outside in some communities?  Yes, illegal! When I first moved to California, I quickly discovered that hanging my jeans, socks, towels, underwear, San Diego Charger's jersey, were all illegal to display to complaining neighbors. It was a violation of the homeowners association and city codes. For a state the defines themselves as "green' or "progressive" or "cares about the environment", it's all a bunch of hooey!

I have since moved away from California. I am glad to tell you that in Florida, the entire state has a "Right to Dry" law. I know, you have to pass a law in order to hang your clothes outside on the line on your own property. All I can say, "These are progressively bizarre and contradicting times"

 RIGHT TO DRY WEBSITE

Top Ten Reasons to Line Dry

10) Save money

You can save more than $25/month off the monthly electric bill for many households.

9) Clothes last longer

Where do you think lint comes from?

8) Pleasant Scent

Clothes and linens smell better without adding possibly toxic chemicals to your body and the environment. Yankee Candle thinks so, too...

7) Saves Energy, Preserves Environment, Reduces Pollution

Conserve energy and the environment, while reducing climate change. Learn how!

6) Healthy Work

It is moderate physical activity which you can do in or outside. You can even lose weight!

5) Get the Sunshine Treatment

Sunlight bleaches and disinfects.

4) Replace another appliance

Indoor racks can humidify in dry winter weather.

3) Avoid a Fire

Clothes dryer and washing machine fires account for about 17,700 structure fires, 15 deaths, and 360 injuries annually. The yearly national fire loss for clothes dryer fires in structures is estimated at $194 million. See a diagram of the critical danger zones of the dryer.

2) It is fun!

And can be an outdoor experience that is meditative and community-building. It may also help you avoid depression.

1) It is truly patriotic

Demonstrates that small steps can make a difference. You don't have to wait for the government to take action!

 http://www.laundrylist.org/en/line-drying

In France, do you realize that most people don't even own a dyer. They have to hang their clothes on the line. Can you imagine them being forced to buy a dryer to dry their clothes? The entire country would go on strike! For a country that relies greatly on their government for many things, they also have a lot of French Liberté. Vive la liberté., Long live freedom is their motto and they use it!

For me, I am a freedom loving patriot, who likes to save money and cares about the environment. But mostly, I'm just a country mouse at heart, living in the city, who enjoys hanging her clothes. I have a really easy system in my garage, where inclement weather is never an issue. I have six lines, each at about 10-feet in length, which can carry about two loads of laundry. Tip: you may want two of your lines to be long enough to carry one sheet each across. 

I've lived in many different places: an apartment, a home with a garage, not a garage, a yard, or sometimes with just a balcony. I always found a way to hang my clothes, even if it was just one line that would hold some under garments. This line was usually next to the dyer;-)

Occasionally, I will used my dyer too, especially to fluff the towels or when I don't feel like hanging 50 pairs of socks. I'm not anti-technology, in fact, its a real luxury that I am grateful for. 

Are you convinced in giving it a try? 

I chose to show my laundry in black and white, to not only entice to you hang, but to convince y'all that it can look like art. Are ya convinced yet? Maybe a little? Well, to this artist and country mouse, it's a beautiful work of art!

May our clothes line connect some day and all of your linens smell fresh as the sky. Wishing y'all a beautiful day on the line!