Crumbs to Crunch

Tomorrow, it's Shrove Tuesday and who doesn't love a day dedicated to pancakes? While sugar and lemon on your pancakes is a classic, it's fun to mix it up once in a while! This year I have been inspired by my trip to Japan to make okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake made with cabbage and drizzled with special okonomiyaki sauce. Okonomiyaki is delicious and really easy to make. I used the recipe from the Japan Centre's website . It can be a little tricky to get your hands on all the ingredients. I used ordinary plain flour and it turned out well. For the okonomiyaki sauce, you can find it in Asian supermarkets or substitute it with Worcestershire sauce as it tastes similar. Okonomiyaki If  Okonomiyaki is not your thing, we did a series on pancakes from different countries so it's time to crack out those recipes again to have the best ever pancake day! For savoury ideas, check out Korean vegetable pancakes or galetttes which are thin pancakes made out o...

One of the sadder moments of living abroad is when you realise that Guy Fawkes Night is pretty much an exclusively British event. I'd been complaining about the lack of fireworks when I heard of the Taimatsu Akashi, or the Sukagawa Fire Festival, which takes place a mere week after Bonfire Night. In 1589, the castle of Sukagawa was burnt to the ground by Date Masamune. Now every year the people of Sukagawa commemorate the loss of life by building 7 feet tall pillars and setting them on fire. It's an amazing sight- the fires look incredible and frightening, but the locals seem fairly relaxed about the huge fire they start every year in the town centre. This year, the weather was not kind. It was completely bucketing it down. Although we got completely soaked to the bone (as part of our grim determination to not put up an umbrella and block the view of the people behind us), the Samegawans cheerfully informed us that the rain was a good thing as it causes the fires t...

It's one day to go until Pancake Day! I'm sure everyone is prepared for their dessert pancakes, whether it's traditional sugar and lemon, or something a bit more unusual . But why only have pancakes for pudding? Here is an interesting pancake main that will ensure that your whole day is pancake-centric.  A couple of years ago, our parents went on holiday to Korea. Whilst there, they discovered this lovely little dish. Korean vegetable pancakes are very easy to make, as essentially you chop vegetables and add it to the pancake batter. I found this recipe on youtube, that proves just how straightforward it is to make these tasty treats. Make sure you don't forget to make the dipping sauce, as the soy sauce makes a perfect accompaniment to the pancakes. Korean pancakes are simple, delicious and just a little bit different. It's a great way to mix things up this pancake day. 

With Shrove Tuesday less than a week away, we decided to see what Pancake treats other countries have to offer. In December I was lucky enough to visit the Christmas markets in Munich and Salzburg. There were so many stalls selling delicious treats, but by far my favourite was Kaiserschmarrn. This Austrian delicacy means literally 'Emperor's Trifle' or 'Emperor's Mess', as it was apparently a favourite of Kaiser Franz Josef I. Kaiserschmarrrn is a very light, thick, fluffy sort of pancake, often containing raisins, that is torn into shreds. It is very easy to make and very tasty, so there's no reason not to make it on Pancake Day! The batter is very similar to ordinary pancake mix, although I whipped my egg whites separately and stirred them in, ensuring a very light and fluffy texture. After it's cooked, simply cut it up into smaller pieces. I would definitely recommend this recipe from the Austrian Tourist Board website if you're a...

Savoury pancakes taste better than sweet ones. Controversial I know but I just love the crispy texture of Breton galettes!They are so easy to make and will make a great main before you get to the good old sugar and lemon pancakes for dessert. I made spinach, cheese and ham galette. Ingredients 300g Buckwheat flour A pinch of salt 2 eggs 300 ml milk 300 ml water Method Serves 6 1. Pour the flour in a bowl. Make a well and crack the eggs into it. 2. Add some salt and start whisking the eggs and flour together. 3. Gradually add the milk and water and keep whisking until you get a smooth batter. 4. Leave to stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour (if you can wait that long!) 5. Melt butter in a frying pan. Make sure the pan is really hot and add a ladle full of batter. The galette should be really thin. When it starts turning crispy, flip over and crisp the other side. 6. Put your favourite toppings on the galette and fold the edges to make a parcel shape. ...

I love Le Moulin Vert's fairy tale themed décor. As Shrove Tuesday is coming up, there is no better place to explore the world of pancakes than Brittany.  The Bretons are kings of crêpes. The meal starts with galette - a savoury pancake made with buckwheat flour. The result is a crispier and more textured pancake. The toppings are endless such as the  complète   (ham, egg and cheese) to andouille, a pork tripe sausage. For dessert, there is also a huge range to choose from, my favourites include apple and salted caramel as well as poire belle-hélène (pear drizzled in dark chocolate). Of course all of this pancake goodness is washed down with a hearty cup of Breton cider.  However, I have discovered a new mouth-watering take in the galette at the  Le Moulin Vert  in Lannion. This beauty is called a galette gratinée which is basically a rolled up galette cut into pieces and sprinkled with cheese and crème fra î che. It is then popped into the ove...