Cooking Crepes at the Market!

As much as I love my own farmer's market, I have a major case of market envy. While spending the weekend in Lexington, Ky, (site of the upcoming World Equestrian Games), last weekend, my husband and I spent a morning checking out the downtown market.

This is not just any old market. It's (mostly) covered, first of all, which was most helpful on this raining buckets kind of day. And it's huge -- the biggest farmer's market in Kentucky. A loyal Louisvillian, I have to say that stings a bit. And the variety! Fresh pasta, artisan goat cheeses, fresh made smoothies! That's not even counting the table after table heaped high with local produce. Anything that's growing in our abundant Bluegrass state is available at the market.

But here's where it gets good. Once you make your way down the long main aisle, sampling as you go, there's a charming blue and yellow tent at the end. La Petit Creperie, a "travelling creperie," keeps market-goers happy and full with sweet and savory crepes fresh off the griddle. Inspired by her time spend in Normandy, France, owner Shannon and husband Mark cook, flip, and stuff as fast as they can all morning long, serving up "country ham" and cheese, Nutella and banana, and sugar crepes to a steady line.

Long fans of crepes, and full of dreams of having our own crepe stand some day, my husband and I were ridiculously thrilled to see their little crepe tent and smell the steamy goodness of fresh crepes. To take refuge from the downpour, and learn what they were all about here, I ducked under the tent and asked the god-natured Mark if I could make my own. Despite any doubts he may have harbored about this overly enthusiastic drowned-rat customer who wanted to take over his crepe station, he handed me his tools and stepped away from the griddle.

I've made hundreds of crepes, but on my home electric griddle. This was the real thing, like you see in France. But I (bravely if I say so myself!) tipped the batter container over the grill, spilled out perhaps a bit too much, and set seriously to work. I was quite pleased to impress the crepe-maker himself with my swirling technique, though I didn't know that on these pro griddles you're not meant to spread all the way to the edge. It wasn't perfect, but with some Broadbent ham, some cheese and spinach tucked inside, it was an immensely satisfying brunch to share with my husband.

We enjoyed them so much we returned to their Sunday market for another!