[Sca-cooks] crepes

[Stefan li Rous]

Johnnae answered some of my questions about crepes and then gave several period recipes for them.

The one from Le Menagier de Paris says:
<<< CREPES. Take flour and mix with eggs both yolks and whites, but throw out the germ... >>>

What does the "throw out the germ" mean here?

And this: <<< And let the iron or brass skillet hold three chopines, and the sides be half a finger tall, and let it  
be as broad at the bottom as at the top, neither more nor less; and for a reason. >>>

I thought chopines were shoes? At first I thought it might be referring to having three pancakes in a pan, but the recipe already talks about making one pancake in the middle of the pan, which doesn't allow space for more pancakes.

<<< You obviously didn't join the Society during the crepe heyday of the 1970's when they were served at feasts. >>>

No, I didn't join the SCA until 1988 or so.  Is there a particular reason crepes were popular? Was it just because they were different? It seems like they would be difficult to serve in a feast environment without them getting cold or have a bad texture. I am always interested in hearing about the early days of the SCA which I missed, so I'd love to hear more details.

Stefan

--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****