One of the joys of travelling is cuisine! I generally find that while the US has the best culinary diversity (by far!) of anywhere I've ever been -- and we have very good food -- our culinary culture is not one that is as steeped in tradition. 

Yes, you can have very good crepes in the United States -- taste wise even on par with those in France -- but you cannot eat a crepe in the US in the way you can eat a crepe in France. In France, a crepe is cultural, not simply culinary. So, a crepe is associated with traditions and holidays -- with good luck or the promise of riches...

Eating a crepe in France is a part of French culture -- in the US it's simply a yummy dessert.

So, I enjoy learning how to cook different meals and learning the traditions that accompany those meals in different parts of the world. At my Institut de Francais in Villefranche, we prepared crepes and learned about how crepes in France are typically prepared for a holiday called La Chandaleur, before Lent. On this day, Februrary 2, the French hold a coin in their hand, attempt to flip a crepe in the pan -- if they manage to flip the crepe successfully, then it promises good fortune and prosperity for the coming year.