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1
Warm in a small saucepan: 2 cups milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter.
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2
When the butter has melted, remove from the heat and let cool.
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3
Measure into a bowl and stir together: 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup buckwheat flour.
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4
Make a well in the flour and stir in: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 3 eggs.
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5
Stir until the batter is stiff and free of lumps.
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6
Add the milk mixture, bit by bit, whisking until smooth after each addition.
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7
If the batter is lumpy, pour through a strainer.
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8
Whisk in: 1/2 cup beer.
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9
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
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10
Take the batter out of the refrigerator 1 hour before frying the crepes.
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11
Heat a crepe pan (a 6-inch steel pan with shallow sloping sides) over medium heat.
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12
Moisten a folded paper towel with oil and grease the hot pan lightly.
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13
Using a small ladle or large spoon, pour in about 2 tablespoons batter.
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14
Tilt and rotate the pan to cover it evenly with the batter.
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15
Cook until brown, about a minute or two, and with the aid of a butter knife, lift up an edge and use your fingers to grasp it and flip it over.
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16
The crepe will be very thin and hard to turn with a spatula; using your hands is really the best way and with a little practice, its easy to do.
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17
Cook briefly on the other side, no more than a minute, and turn the crepe out onto a plate.
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18
(As with pancakes, consider the first crepe or two a test.)
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19
Serve the crepes right away, hot from the pan, or continue to cook crepes, stacking them one atop the next.
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20
The crepes can sit at room temperature for several hours and be reheated before serving.
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21
Spread them with flavored butter; fold them into triangles, like little handkerchiefs, on a baking sheet; sprinkle with sugar; and reheat them in a hot oven for a few minutes.
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22
Or reheat them in a frying pan (folded or not).
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23
Cooked crepes (and any unused batter) can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.
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24
Buckwheat crepes are very good with a compound butter made with citrus juice and zest and sugar.
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25
Or spread them with fruit preserves or marmalade.
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26
Drizzle buttered crepes with warm honey.
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27
Crepes can also be taken in a savory direction, with grated Gruyere cheese and ham, for example.
