Cooked or raw, squash blossoms taste and look good

Sunset, July, 1987

Place a 7- to 8-inch crepe pan or fryingpan over medium-high heat; melt about 2 teaspoons butter or margarine, tilting pan to coat bottom. Remove pan from heat, pour in about 1/4 cup of batter, and immediately tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Return pan to heat and cook until crepe surface feels dry, about 30 seconds. Turn with a wide spatula; cook bottom side until speckled brown (lift to check), about 20 seconds. Turn out of pan onto a plate.

Repeat, adding butter each time, to makeeach crepe; stack as cooked. To store, restack cooled crepes between pieces of plastic wrap; wrap airtight and chill for up to a week or freeze for up to a month. Before separating to reuse, bring crepes back to room temperature; they tear if cold. Makes 10 to 13.

Photo: Tender, uncooked blossoms cradle a mousse of smoked fish and caviar to serve with cold poached seabass. Male blossoms, such as these, usually stay open

Photo: Lightly coat blossoms with flour, dip inegg, fry quickly, and drain on paper towels

Photo: Unusual first course: tomato relish fillsfried blossom; garnish with tarragon sprig

Photo: Crepes enclosesauteed blossoms, chopped chives, and cheese. Side by side in baking dish, crepes tied with whole chives are ready to heat in the oven