The crepe's origins are ancient. They have been consumed in various forms for about 9,000 years. Crepes have always been present in many regions of Europe. The first known crepe recipe was found in France around 1390 in a book called Manger de Paris (Parisian Food). In Europe, crepes became very popular. Some attribute this phenomenon to the Renaissance and Victor Hugo's expressed desire to be one of Les Misérables at mealtime. Thus, they began to refine the crepe and spread the dish throughout Europe through creperies. Despite its controversial origin, whichever version we believe to be true, there is no doubt: the recipe is ancient. The French name, crepe, derives from the Latin word crispus, meaning crispy. In Italian, they are called crespelle. Originally baked on hot stone, they later began to be cooked on a round iron griddle over a fire. There are indications that its roots lie in the Indian chapati bread and Chinese pancakes. However, the first records of crêpes date back to the 1st century by the Roman gastronome Apicius, author of the recipe book De re coquinaria. Cooked on a hot iron, they were served with honey and pepper, according to The Oxford Companion to Food (Alan Davidson, Oxford). However, Italians argue that the specialty originated four centuries later. Le Velmont Crepes - History of the Crepe In the 5th century, French pilgrims flocked to Rome for the Feast of the Canderola. They arrived tired and hungry, but driven by faith. Pope Gelasius, eager to welcome them, ordered that the kitchen of the papal palace be stocked with as many eggs, sacks of flour, and liters of milk as possible. Crepes were born there, by chance. According to this story, the pilgrims enjoyed the novelty and took the recipe back to France. The French, however, maintain that the recipe originated in their homeland, more precisely in Brittany, in the west of the country. The region may not be the birthplace of crepes, but it is certainly the place that prepares them best. Countless crêperies dot Breton cities, filling the air with a sweet and delicate aroma. The thin crepes are skillfully made on metal plates. They have been enjoyed this way in the countryside and cities of the region for hundreds of years. The French crepe is a very versatile, light, and healthy food, its flavor defined by the filling. Due to its low fat content, it can be considered a healthy meal. Crepes are always in fashion thanks to their ability to reinvent themselves, incorporating new ingredients—sweet or savory. Able to face all kinds of company, crepes never go out of style. Sweet, savory, hot, large, miniature, folded, rolled, open, or layered, with a wide variety of fillings: chopped, shredded, doughy, or creamy—they're always welcome! Crêpe or galette, do you know them? Still little known to most kitchen professionals, crepes have their origins in the dawn of civilization. Crepes are not a recent invention; historians have shown that their origins date back to 7,000 BC! At that time, they were a mixture of various cereals mashed with water to form a paste that was then baked on a flat, hot stone. The crepe, or galette, appeared in Brittany in the 13th century, brought by the Crusaders from the buckwheat crops of Asia. Initially made with buckwheat, crepes took on the shape we know today at the beginning of the previous century thanks to the arrival of white wheat flour. In France, the birthplace of the global expansion of crepes, buckwheat is commonly used to make galettes, as this grain has a distinctive flavor and is popular with savory fillings. There, crepes made with wheat flour are more commonly used with sweet fillings and desserts, but this isn't necessarily the rule.