Nutella Crêpes served with strawberries, pictured above
photo credit: Yelp
February 2nd is Groundhog Day. A day Americans anticipate to know if Punxsutawney Phil from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania will inform them if they are going to be buried under more snow or spring is arriving shortly. By the way, Phil is only accurate 39% of the time!
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The French, however, are looking to add more pounds to their waistlines by celebrating La Chandeleur. It (La Chandeleur) is a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.
At Uncle Momo in Montclair, New Jersey, a Mediterranean bistro influenced by a Lebanese, Morrocan, and French menu; Chef Wissam Elmasri uses his creativity to make his signature crêpes. Originally from Lebanon, he has about 25 years of experience in the culinary industry. From Beirut, Paris, and Riyadh, he has worked throughout the years to make food that whet the appetites of his clientele.
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Some of his best-selling crêpes are smoked salmon and goat cheese served with mixed greens. For a sweet alternative, mango and nutella crêpes with a berry sauce. And did I mention that all the crêpes that are served at Uncle Momo’s are GLUTEN FREE. Oui, Oui! GLUTEN FREE! “I wanted to create food that can be healthy but also tasty. I use organic and unfrozen ingredients from scratch,” says Chef Elmasri.
Besides the food at Uncle Momo’s, the decor and ambience takes you on a trip to France. Vintage collectables on display such as Pierrot Gourmand, La Vache Qui Rit, and Amora are complemented by the textured beige walls and playlists of French music that can make you lose track of time because you are living in the moment.
When asked, “What do you do when people have not eaten Lebanese or Moroccan food before? Chef Elmasri replied, “I take pride in my cooking. If you don’t like what you have tried, it is okay. I won’t charge you!” So throw out that New Year’s resolution which only 8% of people achieve anyway and feast on either salée (savory) or sucrée (sweet) crêpes, on La Chandeleur. Et bon appétit!
Uncle Momo
702 Bloomfield Ave,
Montclair, NJ 07042
(973) 233-9500
http://unclemomo.com
