Did you know today is Crêpe Suzette Day? We let you know about the dish and ask French wine importers to pair French wines with Crêpes Suzette. Read on to find out what they recommended.
WHAT IS CRÊPE SUZETTE?
Crêpe Suzette is a French dessert made of crêpes with a sauce of caramelised sugar and butter with orange juice, zest, and Grand Marnier, triple sec or orange Curaçao liqueur on top. It is then flambéed at the table as it is served.
THE DISPUTED HISTORY OF CRÊPE SUZETTE
There are 4 different claims about who created Crêpe Suzette (and who is named after).
The most cited of these claims is that it was Henri Charpentier, then a teenaged assistant waiter at Café de Paris in Monte-Carlo that created Crêpe Suzette, When preparing dessert for the Prince of Wales, who was to become the future King Edward VII (1841-1910) of England, and his guests, Charpentier claimed his sauce ingredients accidentally caught fire that the dish was created. Initially calling this delicious accidental creation Crêpe Princesse, the future King then introduced him to a young guest called Suzette, Charpentier quickly renamed them Crêpe Suzette.
Another accidental creation claim is attributed to a 16 year-old assistant waitress who created the dish, again, by accident.
Chef Monsieur Joseph, owner of Restaurant Marivaux, is also said to have invented Crêpe Suzette for a German actress known as Suzanne “Suzette” Reichenberg. He claims that he decided to flambee the crêpes he was providing for the show she was performing at the Comédie-Française for both audience wow factor and to keep them warm for the actors who would eat them.
Chef Jean Reboux claimed that he created Crêpe Suzette for King Louis XV at the bequest of Princess Suzette de Carignan, who was supposedly in love with the King.
So, it seems that we may never know who really invented the dish.
CRÊPE SUZETTE FRENCH WINE PAIRINGS
We asked French wine importers in Australia which French wines they would pair Crêpes Suzette with.
Ashleigh from Clos Cachet recommends pairing Crêpes Suzette with the Domaine de Bel-Air – Crémant de Bourgogne.
This Crémant has a floral, fine and elegant nose, with a delicate and fresh attack on the palate. The perfect way to liven up a delicious dessert such as Crepes Suzette, balancing out the citrus driven sauce with a bubbly sensation of fruit crafted by Jean-Marc Lafont of Domaine de Bel-Air. Made from Chardonnay of Burgundy/Beaujolais this wine is highly versatile allowing it to be enjoyed at both the beginning and end of a meal, especially perfect for an afternoon tea treat.
Twee of Dynamic Wines suggested pairing Crêpes Suzette with Muscat Beaumes de Venise from Domaine des Bernardins for Crêpes Suzette Day.
This wine is sweet and will complement the crêpes beautifully as it will balance out the liqueur d’Orange used in the recipe.
Finally, Jean-François Gavanon of Cyrano Wines gives a few pairing suggestions to choose from:
- A sweet white wine without heaviness, with a good balance between sweetness and acidity: Sauternes, Monbazillac, or Muscats du Languedoc.
- Better still, an amber Vin Doux Naturel made from black grapes, such as amber coloured Rivesaltes, Banyuls or tuilé Rasteau.
- A pairing with bubbles is possible, as long as the sparkling wine is not too dry, as the sugar in the dessert is likely to bring out the bitterness and acidity: a Crémant de Limoux or a Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale from the Languedoc.
Have you ever had Crêpe Suzette? Have you paired them with wine? Happy Crêpes Suzette Day!
For more French food days check out the below articles:
Fondue Day is Sunday but what do nuns have to do with fondue?
What is the Galette des Rois and why do the French celebrate it?
National Escargot Day: everything you need to know about the French delicacy
Wrap your bouche around the Bûche de Noel and where to find it this Christmas
Which French mouldy cheese to eat for Moldy Cheese Day tomorrow
Cheese Lovers’ Day: cheese subscriptions
La Chandeleur: The perfect excuse to eat crêpes
Let’s eat macarons today to celebrate Macaron Day!
Croissant Day 2021: a history of the croissant and some croissant facts
