La Chandeleur (also known as Candlemas or Crêpe Day) is celebrated in France on February 2, forty days after Christmas Day. The origins of the celebration date to ancient Rome, when it was a celebration to honor Pan, the god of shepherds and flocks. In AD 494, the pagan tradition was adapted by the Catholic Church to celebrate the presentation of Jesus to the temple 40 days after his birth.
How did crêpes, or galettes (depending on where in Brittany you are), become associated with the festivities? While some say La Chandeleur celebrates the return of sunny days (crêpes symbolize the sun), others say that making crêpes using flour left over from the harvest ensures prosperity in the coming year. Over the centuries many French regions have created their own traditions to ward off evil spirits, or guarantee prosperity for the coming year. The tradition that most people in France follow is if you hold a gold coin in your writing hand and manage to flip a crêpe using your other hand and catch it in the pan, your family will soon become rich. (My question would be where one would find a gold coin!)
The Crêpe Club has started its own Crêpe Day tradition by offering a free Nutella or Parisian (butter and sugar) crêpe at their Phoenix and Tempe locations from 2-5 pm. The offer is limited to one per person and for take away only. What are you waiting for? Allons-y!!
2502 E Camelback Rd., #130
(conveniently located across from Saks Fifth Ave.)
Phoenix, AZ 85016
or
550 E Tyler Mall
Tempe, AZ 85251
All photos by Marci Symington for texAZtaste.com.
3 comments
I love your posts: smart, fun, and mouth-watering! Today, you brought back a memory of being a kid in Paris and buying a crepe off a street vendor. I think it was filled with butter and cinnamon, but it might have been chocolate/Nutella. In any case, it seemed like the most delicious thing in the world. Keep up the great writing!
Merci! I too remember eating crêpes in Paris…ham and gruyère with oregano…yum!
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