A little Tasting History – Family History Recipes bonus content for you!
Sadly, one of our chefs wasn’t able to be with us on tasting day so we couldn’t try their dish along with all the others we’ve shared with you. Thankfully, they shared the written recipe and now you have a chance to check it out!
Here it is, exclusively shared on our blog, the recipe for Heather’s “Gram’s Susies, aka Crepes.”
Recipe: Gram’s Susies, aka Crepes
My recipe inspiration comes courtesy of my maternal grandmother who prepared crepes for me and my sister when we were children. This was a special treat at her house, and she always happily obliged when we pleaded for them after a sleepover. Gram was born in Maine and proudly came from a long line of French-Canadians. In fact, French was her first language. For reasons unbeknownst to me, she always referred to any kind of crepe as “Crepes Suzette”, aka, the famous dessert that comes smothered in flaming orange liqueur. Crepes Suzette was then shortened to Susies. She most certainly was not serving us flambeed breakfast, but somehow the name stuck and we lovingly will forever refer to crepes as Susies.* She always served them with brown sugar and sometimes strawberries, which is still my favorite way to enjoy this family classic. - Heather
*Bonus content: Below is a copy of a letter written to my sister in 1997 that confirms the correct spelling of Susie, direct from the source.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbs sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbs butter, melted
Directions:
- Whisk all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well combined, or preferably combine in a blender for 30 seconds. For best results, chill the batter for several hours or overnight.
- Heat a lightly buttered griddle or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour approximately ¼ cup of batter onto the pan. Tilt and swirl the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly, the thinner the better.
- Cook 1-2 minutes until the bottom has turned light brown. Use a spatula to loosen the crepe; gently flip and cook until the other side has turned light brown, about 1 minute more.
- Serve hot, topped with desired toppings (sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, whipped cream, fruit, Nutella, etc.)
Bon Appetit!
As of January 2025, the NYS Library welcomes three new members to the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries. Join us in getting to know our new RAC members!
Danielle Berchtold
Danielle (Dani) Berchtold is a trustee and the president of the Board at the Apalachin, NY Library. She became involved in the Library as a trustee in 2021 and has provided leadership and support during a period when the long-time library director retired and a new director was hired. Since 2014, Dani has served as the Senior Associate to the Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Broome Community College. She works with academic programs and curriculum, academic policies and procedures, the college catalog, and is a member of the academic leadership team. She taught as an adjunct instructor in the social sciences for fifteen years.
Prior to working in higher education, Dani worked for regional community organizations. She worked at Southern Tier AIDS Program as a case manager, health educator, and program coordinator, then at the Rural Health Network as a health advocate and an AmeriCorps program director. Dani is passionate about the importance of connecting people and resources and is eager to participate in work that fosters synergy.
Hope Dunbar
Hope Dunbar is the University Archivist at the University at Buffalo, where she leads the ongoing operations of the University Archives, building and promoting its collections through outreach, donor relations, and partnerships. With a robust background in archival management, Dunbar applies best practices to ensure access to the university’s rich manuscript and archival collections. She is also actively involved in grant writing and development to support archival projects and services. Prior to joining the University at Buffalo, Dunbar spent seven years as a Special Collections Archivist at SUNY Buffalo State University, where she worked extensively on processing, digitizing, and managing special collections, while fostering community engagement and enhancing archival services through collaborative initiatives.
Dunbar holds a Master’s in Library and Information Science with a specialization in Archives & Special Collections from the University of Illinois and a Juris Doctor from DePaul University, College of Law. She is a Certified Archivist and has served in various leadership roles within the archival community, including as a board member for the Society of American Archivists Foundation. Dunbar has contributed to the academic and local community through numerous exhibitions, publications, and presentations, with a particular focus on LGBTQ history and Western New York regional collections. Her professional achievements have earned her accolades such as the Parkside Partner Award and the Western New York Library Resources Council’s Excellence in Library Service Award.
Reanna Esmail
Reanna Esmail is the lead librarian for instruction at Cornell University. Working in Olin Library’s Research and Learning Services Department, she oversees the library’s information literacy program, provides in-person and virtual reference help, and supports the research and collection needs of Asian American studies, game studies, media studies, and philosophy. Prior to her promotion in July 2021, Reanna was the outreach and engagement librarian at Cornell and previously a digital asset management intern at the Corning Museum of Glass. She holds an MS in library and information science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, an MA in English from the Freie Universität Berlin, and a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley. Reanna is currently a co-primary investigator on an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)–funded grant project to create open educational resources for algorithmic literacy and Association for Research Libraries Leadership and Career Development Program Fellow. She is also a Minnesota Institute alum, columnist for American Libraries magazine, and Library Freedom Project member.
As a library instructor, Reanna is particularly interested in critical pedagogy and providing services for various campus communities, especially those that have historically been underserved and underrepresented. Her research interests include intellectual freedom, targeted online harassment self-defense, data brokerage, and algorithmic literacy.