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Difference between Normandy or Brittany crepes: traditional Normandy pancakes in the Hotel Outre-Mer's tea room - PART 2

In Normandy as in Brittany, everyone likes to taste pancakes and crepes, but what is their difference depending on the French region?

 

The recipe of crepes from Normandy to Brittany differs first of all by the flour. In Brittany, savory galettes are made with buckwheat flour. But Normandy prefers pancakes sweetened with wheat flour.

 

The way of cooking the dough also distinguishes the two regions. Brittany prefers to cook its galettes and crepes on a billig, a traditional circular cast iron plate formerly heated with wood, which guarantees a constant temperature and therefore perfect heat distribution. On the contrary, in Normandy, the crepe is cooked in a rather thick cast iron pan with low edges, called haitier, which was formerly placed on a tripod above the embers in the fireplace. To prevent the dough from sticking, the pan was greased with butter in a piece of cloth, called graissou.

 

Both regions like to garnish their crepes and pancakes with local products. The Normans gladly decorate the dough with a few spoons of Calvados and thin slices of apple, this pancake is then called the fruity. After cooking, Normandy crêpes can also be garnished with apples, topped with salted butter caramel, flambéed with Calvados, accompanied by cider or pommeau… always favoring products from our beautiful Normandy!

 

In Normandy as in Brittany, pancakes are a regional specialty that can be enjoyed throughout the region and even beyond. This specialty being so easy to cook and so delicious, it has been exported to the rest of our beautiful country and even beyond to the whole world!

 

The hotel Outre-Mer is no exception to the tradition of Candlemas: gourmet as you wish and made in the purest Normandy tradition, come and taste our crepes at tea time, in our tea room with a panoramic view of the Channel, whose landscape offers a changing spectacle according to the tides, the swell and the mood of the weather. But what is the secret of their inimitable taste? It’s up to you to try to unravel the mystery by savoring them… a real Proust madeleine!

But why do we eat pancakes on Candlemas? Where does this festive and gourmet tradition come from?

Discover the history of Candlemas and the custom of pancakes by clicking on the following link:

History and traditional Candlemas pancakes!