Crepes O Mania

For being such a Francophile, I have never had an authentic crepe - until yesterday.

On my second jaunt around University Parks, I noticed a small mobile food stand boldly advertising sweet and savory 'pancakes.' Intrigued by any gastronomical adventure, I made a point of making my next Uni Parks walk during the noon hour.

Crepes O Mania is a mobile creperie service for corporate events, weddings, etc. with outside units like the one I visited. They offer Crepes, sweet pancakes, filled with tempting combinations of lemon and sugar, maple syrup, chocolate and coconut as well as Galettes, savory pancakes, stuffed with equally enticing fillings.

I had already perused the website and predetermined what Galette I was going to try so I wouldn't expose my novice crepe status to the world. No line (at 12 on the dot) hindered my immediate indulgence of La Forestiere filled with mushroom, onion, bacon, bechamel sauce, and cheese.

The man, who I assume was a France native by his accent) started right away by pouring batter onto a piping hot crepe iron. A great sizzle emitted from the large round surface as he artfully spread the batter about with the twirl of a T shaped wooden tool. Almost instantly, he was able to run a long, off-set spatula under the crepe to ensure it wouldn't stick to the surface.

On went the mushrooms and large clumps of bacon (British bacon so more like diced ham chunks). A large helping of caramelized onion drowned in a thick creamy sauce and a handful of cheese (or fromage as the bucket was labeled) was then folded into a rectangle and left to become hot and gooey.

I stood at the cart waiting for this culinary creation for a few more minutes as my galette finished cooking. It was handed over the counter barely contained in a rectangular Styrofoam container. Plastic fork and napkin in hand, I walked to the nearest bench and dug in!

The crepe is very thin, not brittle, more like a crispy cage holding its filling for ransom until your fork initiates the jail break. Le fromage melts completely into the bechamel, making a rich gravy to suspend the mushrooms and bacon. The filling is salty, but not offensively so. Each ingredient was distinct but the sum flavor was very pleasing.

It won't be long until I head back for round two. The only dilemma - orange marmalade and chocolate or candied lemon and sugar?