Pancake or crêpe
Many people use the words ‘pancake’ and ‘crêpe’ interchangeably, but they do have some important differences. Crêpe is the French version of a pancake, which originated in the north of France around the Brittany region. The very first versions of crêpes are thought to date back to the 12th century, when buckwheat became more abundant.
One of the main differences between pancakes and crêpes is the level of ‘fluffiness’. Pancake batter traditionally has a raising agent in it, such as baking powder, making it thick and fluffy. Crêpes don’t have any such raising agent, so their appearance and texture is thin and flat. In the UK, we tend to call fluffy pancakes ‘American pancakes’, while we tend to call flat crêpes ‘pancakes’. Confusions in language aside, both are equally delicious, but offer distinctly different culinary experiences.
Another key difference is that pancakes are on the whole associated with sweet toppings, such as jam, sugar and syrups. On the other hand, sweet or savoury fillings for crêpes are equally popular.