Crêpes

The only secret that people who make good, thin, regular-sized pancakes have is the frying pan. It’s well worth buying a special heavy metal pan with an interior base diameter of not more than 6 in. (15 cm), which you use exclusively for pancakes; or buy a specialist pan from places like Kitchens of Bristol.

Before you use a new pan for the first time, wash it thoroughly with non-scratch detergent, then dry it, fill it with coarse salt and put it on a low heat until the edges of the salt begin to brown. Throw away the salt, wipe out the pan and fill it with fat or oil of any kind. Heat the pan gently until the fat begins to smoulder and smoke. Tip out the fat and wipe dry with a cloth.