Crêpe Fillings: What We Choose and Why
Sweet and savoury, crêpes are beloved by nearly everyone. But here's something to think about: what should you put in a crêpe, and which fillings produce the most flavourful crêpe?
French Lunch's crêpe buffet offers the following sweet ingredients: honey, nutella, jam, chocolate chips, maple syrup, marshmallows, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, almonds, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon.
For savory ingredients, we stock cold meats, grated parmesan, dry parsley, spinach, mushrooms, and French sauces like tapenade and béarnaise. Additionally, we offer premade hot crêpes before 4 p.m., Monday to Saturday: mushroom and brie cheese, mushroom and egg, egg and ham, and salmon and cream cheese.
So, why these ingredients in particular?
Well, all of our fillings are immediately available to customers, so we had to choose some of the most popular fillings that don't spoil at room temperature. The meats are kept in the cold, of course, but every other ingredient keeps well on a buffet table. Which means that customers don't have to order them and wait — they can build a crêpe right away and enjoy it then and there. We're a meal shop focused on convenience, affordability and health, and our crêpe fillings reflect this.
Why three types of fruits? Because crêpes with fruits taste better than crêpes with just chocolate in them. That's why we dice up fresh fruits for the buffet table every day!
If you go through any article on popular crêpe fillings, you're bound to see spinach, herbs, chicken, cream cheese, mushrooms, cinnamon, cheeses, berries, peanut butter... the list goes on. Fruits are also present, of course, but they're often paired with creams. This can be problematic. In fact, you'll often see various creams, including ice cream, listed. Whipped cream and ice cream make everything taste better... but at what cost? One serving, or one dollop of whipped cream nets you up to 5 grams of sugar or more, and around 100 calories.
The average North American consumes around 100 grams of added, non-natural sugars per day, well above the 25 to 37 gram limit recommended by governments. No wonder obesity rates are skyrocketing here! And then there's ice cream. Whether cheap or premium, many ice creams contain a number of preservatives and not enough real ingredients. Some brands have even reclassified themselves as "frozen desserts" because they don't meet federal standards... why? They don't contain enough milk! Instead of milk, a bunch of preservatives are added: notably, carrageenan, palm oil and gums.
Although we recommend whole ingredients above all else, we do provide Nutella, chocolate, and marshmallows to customers who want them. We've modified portions to be small, though — small cups of Nutella, miniature marshmallows (under 4 grams of sugar), and teaspoons of chocolate chips, to help guide crêpe lovers towards healthy choices. Moderation is key. Our crêpes are smaller too, and cheaper than most. $4.99 for a cold crêpe, and $5.99 for a hot crêpe. You won't worry about not finishing one, or getting bloated from one.
Finally, we offer a unique savory crêpe experience through our selection of sauces. In Provence, France, savory crêpes come with tapenade and other spreads in gourmet restaurants. Here's an idea: stuff a crêpe with mushrooms, parmesan, parsley, and cold meat, and coat it with a bit of tapenade. The crêpe won't just be savory, it'll be packed with flavor — olives, capers, lemons, and olive oil, among others. A zesty Mediterranean taste for sure!
Here's to crêpes packed with not just the tasty stuff, but the healthy stuff too.
We look forward to feeding you,
French Lunch
- Nina Zaitseva
