I recently took it into my head to start making crêpes and didn't have the proper pan (or for that matter, anything even close). I became familiar with the existence of this pan through the Williams-Sonoma catalog and, based on its glowing reviews, decided to see if I could pick it up for less. This pan doesn't have a high list regardless but at the time of this writing, Amazon's price is the lowest anywhere, even without the free shipping. :)This is a quality pan made of what's known as "blue steel"; according to Wikipedia, "bluing" is a manufacturer's process that partially protects carbon steel against potential rust. In order for this pan to be safely seasoned and used, the coating on the pan's cooking surface (which, as I understand it, is independent of the bluing process) must be removed. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IGNORING DE BUYER'S INSTRUCTIONS TO BOIL POTATO PEELS IN THE PAN PRIOR TO SEASONING IT WITH OIL. I mean it. When you see the sludge that comes off the surface of the pan and the color of those peelings, you'll be tempted to repeat that particular step. Go for it--I did (de Buyer has a video of the procedure on YouTube). Dispose of the peelings, rinse the pan THOROUGHLY with very hot water, and wipe it HARD with paper towels to remove as much sludge and bluing as possible. Heat oil (I used rice bran--very high smoke point and not too expensive) in the pan and keep it hot but not smoking for about five minutes, pour it out, and AGAIN wipe thoroughly with paper towels until the cooking surface no longer yields blue (don't worry about the underside unless you're planning to do some very funky frying) and rubbing in the oil will have given you a beautiful, glassy cooking surface. Your pan is on its way to being well-seasoned!
You need only brush a little butter or other fat on your pan's surface to get started on your crêpe odyssey and your seasoning will just keep improving over time (as long as you don't burn it). DON'T RUSH THIS PROCESS. Just let it happen gradually. Bravo has a nice online video of Julia Child and Jacques Pépin making crêpes that renders the procedure virtually idiot-proof and is well worth watching.
I do have a few minor complaints: this pan has a welded handle and de Buyer also manufactures what's essentially the identical pan with a riveted handle but it's only available in Europe; I'd like the option of a choice. Also, the booklet on the pan's handle and the protective cardboard sleeve provide different seasoning instructions (respectively, boiling vs. frying the potato peels); go with "boiling."
This pan couldn't be more perfect for its intended purpose which isn't surprising considering that de Buyer has been manufacturing cookware, in France (NOT East Asia), since 1830. In fact, my very first batch of crêpes shot off the pan like hockey pucks which just emphasizes what other reviewers have noted: SEASON THE PAN ACCORDING TO DE BUYER'S INSTRUCTIONS. At some point, I intend to add the blini pan to my repertoire: de Buyer 5512.12 Professional Blinis Pan 4 3/4" 2.5 mm. If you want to make your own crêpes, I can't recommend this pan highly enough.
Buy de Buyer Crepe Pan, Blue Steel Now
This is a great, authentic crepe pan. Be sure to season it exactly how the directions describe, and not to use dish soap to wash it (water on a wet cloth or paper towel is fine). It helps to get a crepe spatula to turn crepes when cooking with this pan, but you do not need a batter spreader. I recommend "Crepes" by Lou Siebert Pappas for her 3 basic crepe recipes and crepe making techniques, but note that the rest of the recipes in this book are very elaborate.Read Best Reviews of de Buyer Crepe Pan, Blue Steel Here
The last crepe pan I bought before this one was the Calphalon Commercial nonstick crepe pan. A great pan but it stopped being nonstick after only 1 1/2 years. With all the controversy surrounding nonstick coatings I decided to go old fashioned and buy the classic blue steel crepe pan by De Buyer. Now after quite a few crepe batches I can say that this is the best type of crepe pan and it'll probably last you a lifetime. It heats up really well and cooks crepes at a medium heat setting on my ceramic cooktop. It should be treated like cast iron but is much lighter and has a really smooth surface (unlike my cast iron round griddle) which is ideal for delicate crepes. It does need to be seasoned and its nonstickability improves after each use. Some caveats I discovered: follow the manufacturer's directions for seasoning; use only plastic or wood utensils (it can actually take metal, but metal can actually scratch your seasoning so you'll have reseason); never use soap or put in the dishwasher; and never scour the pan with anything stronger than the pads used for nonstick coatings. After cooking, I just rinse in hot water wiping with a sponge or a dobie pad, dry, heat on the stove on medium low heat, add a little oil, then wipe the pan with a paper towel and let it cool before putting the pan away. The clean-up is only one extra step but the pan is worth it. Don't worry if it gets dark; it's just part of its patina and indicates the pan is developing its nonstick surface. I find that it does a superior job cooking crepes, pancakes, naan, eggs, etc. or for heating up tortillas. Its temperature response is better than the Calphalon and the price is right too!BTW, only buy De Buyer. I bought a cheaper blue steel pan that was made in China and it warped when it was heated. De Buyer's been manufacturing these since 1830 in France; I think they have the best ones on the market.
Want de Buyer Crepe Pan, Blue Steel Discount?
This pan is exactly as I hoped it would be. After the first few crepes (hadn't made them in decades and needed to get a rhythm going), it was a breeze. Has a good feel to it...substantial but not heavy. Seemed weird to first fry potato peels in the pan, but I did it and the pan is non-stick now and cleans up beautifully. (Don't be alarmed if the surface of the pan looks like it's getting ruined with the potato peels. A good soaking in plain water and a soft dish brush will take care of that.)
Save 5% Off
0 comments:
Post a Comment