by Caitlin Saniga
Taste of Belgium: dessert crepes with lavender sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice
If you’ve never eaten lavender, imagine the powerful aroma of these purple, shrublike flowers. The smell and the taste are one and the same. Both are potent. So, you’d either love or hate these dessert crepes from Taste of Belgium in Columbus’ North Market.
The crepe, before I dug in
The crepe dough is made from a sweet batter that includes a little beer and a drop of vanilla extract. When finished cooking, the dough looks as if it’s been spattered in golden-brown dots. The rest is simple: a mixture of dried lavender flowers and sugar is sprinkled on the crepe dough, and half of a lemon is squeezed on top. The crepe is folded into a triangle the size of a slice of pizza, and is dusted with powdered sugar.
Before I ordered this crepe (for lunch, no less!), I asked about its flavors. Did they work together? Do people actually order this? The employee was right when she said the lavender had a punch, and she said people have polar reactions. The fresh lemon didn’t balance the lavender, but it gave the crepe depth. A healthy dose of sugar canceled out the tartness of the lemon.
The end product was pretty delicious: crispy lavender seeds and sweet, syrupy lemon between soft, thin layers of crepe – for $5.
But I’d probably try something different the next time I go to Taste of Belgium (which has another location in Cincinnati). Not that I had any major objections to this crepe, but the menu has so many alluring options. Other dessert crepes include Banana & Nutella and Caramel (a French caramel called caramel au beurre sale, with apples). The savory lunch crepes are made with organic buckwheat flour, and varieties include the Traditional (egg, smoked ham and gruyere cheese), the Reuben and the Vegetarian (roasted red peppers, goat cheese, spinach and balsamic glaze). But Taste of Belgium’s specialty is Liege-style waffles, which are served solo or with whipped cream and fruit or chocolate.
Visit Taste of Belgium in Columbus’s North Market: 59 Spruce St., Columbus, Ohio 43215; authenticwaffle.com
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Photos: Caitlin Saniga
*$6 Snacks is a recurring feature that reviews an area eatery’s snack — for $6 or less. Look at a map of the places we’ve tried.
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Yummy was at N Market in Columbus on Sunday great food
I’ve had a soft spot for crepes ever since working at a restaurant dedicated to them, and this post brought up yummy memories!!