It started with this:

Haunted French pancakes give me the crêpes.

Then I saw more:

A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

All the toilets in New York’s police stations have been stolen. Police have nothing to go on.

Be kind to your dentist. He has fillings, too.

Broken pencils are pointless.

Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy.

Class trip to the Coca-Cola factory. I hope there’s no pop quiz.

Did you hear about the cross eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils?

I could go on, but you probably are ready to hit me and get on with the food and music.

Yesterday, I mentioned that I always make a King Cake for Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras, this year on Tuesday the 12th, is also known as Shrove Tuesday and Pancake Tuesday.

In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada that day is normally celebrated with a meal of pancakes, started as a tradition to use up rich ingredients before the start of Lent.

So here is a rich and utterly divine recipe using pancakes in crêpe form.

Fontina cheese, cream sauce and asparagus are a total match made in heaven.

Asparagus Crêpes With Fontina Cheese

Ingredients:

1 recipe Crêpe Batter (recipe follows)
Herb Béchamel (recipe follows)
2 pounds thin asparagus
5 ounces Fontina cheese, grated or chopped
Handful of Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Prepare the crêpe batter, let it rest, then cook 12 (8 inch) crêpes.

2. Prepare the béchamel.

3. Cut the asparagus into 7 inch lengths. Boil asparagus in boiling, salted water unntil it is as tender as you like. Drain and cool.

4. To assemble the crêpes, place them so that the prettier side of the crêpe is facing down. Scatter about 2 Tbs of the cheese over half of the crêpe, set a bundle of asparagus at one end and gently roll the crêpe around it. Repeat to use up the rest of the crêpes, asparagus and cheese.

5. Preheat oven to 400℉.

6. Butter a baking dish and place crêpes in a single layer, seam side down. Brush a little bit of sauce over the tops.

7. Bake until the cheese is melted and the crêpes are hot in the middle, about 10 minutes.

8. Heat the sauce, stir in the fresh herbs, and serve over the crêpes.

Serves 6

Crêpe Batter

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter, for coating the pan

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Let sit, covered, for one hour.

2. Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour in just enough batter to coat the pan. Swirl pan to spread evenly. Cook for about one minute and flip. Cook for another 30 seconds or so, until golden and remove to a plate. Continue until all batter is gone. Stack the crêpes on a plate.

Herb Béchamel

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups milk
1 Tbs onion, chopped
6 black peppercorns
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt

Directions:

1. In small saucepan, combine milk, onion, peppercorns and herbs. Slowly heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed.

2. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring to make a roux, for 1 minute.

3. Whisk warm milk mixture into roux along with cream and a pinch of salt. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 25 minutes.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

Recipes from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison

This is kind of different.

Avital Raz.

Different name. Different kind of sound.

I loved this song just from the name alone. A nice little jazzy, croony number.

Check out Avital Raz on her Website. You can buy her older stuff on Bandcamp. The upcoming album “Infidelity” is coming out on Monday, April 1st through Sotones Records.

Cheers!