Throwing a fancy weekend brunch party at home doesn't have to be a complicated affair: Make up a big batch of crêpe batter, pop open a bottle of bubbly, and set up a self-serve station with a variety of fresh fillings and let your guests help themselves.
At the home of Eric Ziebold and Célia Laurent, chef-partners of one-Michelin-starred Kinship and Métier in Washington, D.C., hosting a brunch for guests only requires one recipe: that for traditional French crêpes.
Lay a table with an assortment of condiments and multiple bottles of Champagne and there you have all the ingredients you need for a fancy party, minus the slaving over a stove. “Everyone can mingle—it’s great,” says Laurent, who typically serves her crêpes with things like smoked salmon, caviar, jam and fresh vanilla cream. Other great ideas are things you can prep ahead like fruit, soft cheeses like ricotta or mascarpone, deli meat and sweet spreads from chocolate to honey so they double up as dessert as well.
Using a tabletop cooker like this stylish Bruno hotplate means you can whip up the crêpes à la minute out in the dining room, or even have your guests do it themselves.
Ziebold typically likes to serve magnums of Champagne for the occasion, like a 2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve or a 1.5L Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ Grand Cru. “It makes for a great ice breaker,” he says.
Try your hand at his traditional crêpe recipe.
At the home of Eric Ziebold and Célia Laurent, chef-partners of one-Michelin-starred Kinship and Métier in Washington, D.C., hosting a brunch for guests only requires one recipe: that for traditional French crêpes.
Lay a table with an assortment of condiments and multiple bottles of Champagne and there you have all the ingredients you need for a fancy party, minus the slaving over a stove. “Everyone can mingle—it’s great,” says Laurent, who typically serves her crêpes with things like smoked salmon, caviar, jam and fresh vanilla cream. Other great ideas are things you can prep ahead like fruit, soft cheeses like ricotta or mascarpone, deli meat and sweet spreads from chocolate to honey so they double up as dessert as well.
Using a tabletop cooker like this stylish Bruno hotplate means you can whip up the crêpes à la minute out in the dining room, or even have your guests do it themselves.
Ziebold typically likes to serve magnums of Champagne for the occasion, like a 2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve or a 1.5L Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ Grand Cru. “It makes for a great ice breaker,” he says.
Try your hand at his traditional crêpe recipe.
Image courtesy of Kinship.
Crêpes
Courtesy of Eric Ziebold, chef/owner of Kinship and Métier, Washington, D.C.
Ingredients
112 grams all-purpose flour
282 grams whole milk
3 whole eggs
40 grams unsalted butter, melted
7 grams kosher salt
Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender; puree until smooth and bubbles form on top, about 30 seconds. Let batter sit at least 15 minutes at room temperature. (The batter can be refrigerated up to a day in a closed container.)
2. Heat a 12-inch nonstick pan coated with vegetable oil-based spraty over medium heat; add 1/3 cup batter and swirl to completely cover bottom of pan. Cook until underside of crepe is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the edge of the crêpe and quickly flip. (It might be easier to use fingers than a spatula for flipping it over.) Cook for 1 minute more. Slide crêpe out of skillet and repeat with remaining batter. (Pro tip: the vegetable-based spray might not be needed again.)
4. Serve with the following accompaniments:
Melted butter and granulated sugar
Melted butter, granulated sugar, Meyer lemon juice
Hazelnut-chocolate spread
Cara Cara orange marmelade
Caviar and crème fraiche
Smoked salmon
Smoked sturgeon
Aged Manchego
Virginia ham or any type of cured ham
Asian pear compote
Honeyed-Ricotta
Courtesy of Eric Ziebold, chef/owner of Kinship and Métier, Washington, D.C.
Ingredients
112 grams all-purpose flour
282 grams whole milk
3 whole eggs
40 grams unsalted butter, melted
7 grams kosher salt
Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender; puree until smooth and bubbles form on top, about 30 seconds. Let batter sit at least 15 minutes at room temperature. (The batter can be refrigerated up to a day in a closed container.)
2. Heat a 12-inch nonstick pan coated with vegetable oil-based spraty over medium heat; add 1/3 cup batter and swirl to completely cover bottom of pan. Cook until underside of crepe is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the edge of the crêpe and quickly flip. (It might be easier to use fingers than a spatula for flipping it over.) Cook for 1 minute more. Slide crêpe out of skillet and repeat with remaining batter. (Pro tip: the vegetable-based spray might not be needed again.)
4. Serve with the following accompaniments:
Melted butter and granulated sugar
Melted butter, granulated sugar, Meyer lemon juice
Hazelnut-chocolate spread
Cara Cara orange marmelade
Caviar and crème fraiche
Smoked salmon
Smoked sturgeon
Aged Manchego
Virginia ham or any type of cured ham
Asian pear compote
Honeyed-Ricotta
