The Crpe Outdoors

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Aug 11, 2004 | by TERESA J. FARNEY Photos by KRISTY ANN MANN THE GAZETTE

Let's sashay over to the farmers market and see what they have on hand, shall we?

Tomatoes? Check.

Corn? Check.

Green beans? Check.

Cantaloupe and watermelon? Check, check.

Looks like the usual farmers market fare, but wait -- over there by that white RV with the little tables set up nearby. Are those people eating... crpes?

Mais oui! A plate of piping hot crpes might not be what you'd expect to find at a farmers market, but Dennis Bracken and his wife, Sandy, have started bringing this 1970s favorite to the downtown Farm and Art Market on Saturdays and to the Briarhurst Manor Inn market on Wednesdays.

During the market season, you'll see the Brackens' Olde Town Creperie RV parked near the entrance to both markets, making it hard to pass up a plate of crpes before starting a morning of shopping.

Set aside the notion that food from an outdoor vendor has to be something that doesn't require a plate or utensils. The Brackens are finding that shoppers are willing to sit a while and indulge in a plate of warm, thin, delicate crpes.

"It's so nice to have such a classy food option here at the market," said Barbara Gibb, who wouldn't think of coming to the market without treating herself and her 1-year-old daughter to some crpes.

Dressed in their pristine chef whites, the Brackens regularly whip up sweet lemon crpes, fresh berry crpes, cinnamon sugar crpes and crpes suzette, each dusted with powdered sugar and topped with whipped cream. Savory crpes feature choices with egg, ham and cheese. The most requested order is for crpes filled with seasonal fresh fruit. The crpes range in price from $3 to $5.

The Brackens' enterprise was several years in the making. They had been looking for some type of food concession after he retired in 1991 from 38 years as a certified executive chef at resort hotels and a consultant for a commercial oven manufacturer.

"We wanted something that was easy and had a lot of appeal. And we only wanted to work a few hours on any given day," Dennis said.

A trip to France served as the catalyst.

"We were on vacation in Paris in the mid-'90s," Dennis said. "We were standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, and there were several umbrellacovered crpe carts there." That's when a light went off in their heads.

"Crpes are a European deal," Dennis said.

"Every country has their own version. A lot people have been to Europe and fell in love with crpes while traveling. Or their mothers had made crpes.

"We thought crpes would be unique and people would love seeing them being made."

They returned to Colorado Springs, where they had decided to retire, and dreamed up their plan for the crperie business.

"I started working on a mix that would not require fresh eggs," Dennis said. "I didn't want to run the risk of salmonella."

Next came the idea for a mobile kitchen.

"The first event we went to, we tried making our crpes under a tent, sort of like we had seen in Paris," Sandy said. "It was cold and windy. The burners under our crpe makers kept blowing out. Dennis put his foot down -- he would not cook under these conditions."

"I won't take any shortcuts in food preparation or the place where I'm cooking," Dennis added.

So in 1999 they bought an RV and $25,000 later had outfitted it to meet their needs for a food service-style kitchen for making crpes.

"We went to Cheyenne Frontier Days and found out that wasn't the place where our crpes were appreciated," Dennis said.

"It was a bust, and that's when we decided the farmers market would be a better place for our business."

At the farmers market, they set out a couple of small tables with chairs so customers can relax and enjoy their meal.

Not only is it a treat for shoppers, it's great to have someone else doing the work because crpes are not the easiest dish to master.

It takes some practice to learn the technique for quickly swirling the batter around the skillet to spread it into a thin crpe. It's not unusual for novices to end up deep-sixing a few crpes before getting the hang of it.

To make life easier for the home cook, Dennis offers his crpe mix for sale for $5. It requires only some water and a resting time. For an even easier go of crpe-making, grocery stores sell the pancakes readymade, usually in the produce area.

The adventurous cook can try the crpe recipes below. But if you want to leave the chore to someone else, that's where the Brackens come in. They'll prepare special orders if you call 473-5408 in advance, so they can make the crpes before they come to the market.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0271 or tfarney@gazette.com

CRPES AROUND THE WORLD

Most crpes are cooked in a shallow pan or on a greased griddle. They can be eaten flat and sprinkled with sugar, or rolled around a sweet or savory filling. Just about every area and culture of the world has a version of crpes or pancakes. Here are a few examples:

Blintzes (Jewish) -- tender, ultrathin pancakes that are rolled to encase a sweet or savory filling such as cottage or ricotta cheese, fruit or meat mixtures. They are then sauted until golden brown and served with sour cream.