My Twitter stream has been abuzz the last few days with talk of Melange Creperie's newest menu item: a resoundingly summery fig and goat cheese crepe with local honey.
Lately, it's not as if Buffalo Sean and his tiny crepe stand need the extra buzz. It's hard to drive past and not see a line formed in the parking lot at Mango's, which serves as Sean's de facto "kitchen" during the day. One recent weekend morning, I must have spotted at least 20 people all patiently standing in line in the summer heat. Yes, the crepes are that good.
So it was with surprise that I drove past Melange Creperie this morning and saw no one there but Sean, clad as always in a fedora and reading a book. I updated the Eating Our Words Twitter account a few minutes later at the office: "No line at @melangecreperie right now! This is unheard of!"
Within only a few minutes, a response from Eric Sandler: "@EatingOurWords thanks for the tip. Stopped by and got a crepe. Fig, honey & cheese. Delicious!"
It sealed the deal. I needed to get one of those crepes, stat.
Hoping the line wouldn't be too bad if I went after lunch, I swung by at 1:15 p.m. to see Sean closing up shop. I got out of my car anyway.
"Got time for one last fig and goat cheese crepe?" I asked, hopefully.
An enormous grin broke out on his face. "You're just in time!" he laughed. "I just made the last one."
The little crepe was already folded neatly into a triangle of foil, crimped at the edges to keep the heat in. It was just as if it had been waiting for me. I happily handed over $6 for the package and headed back to the office.
If there was ever a combination that fits together with a soft, delicate, hand-in-glove deftness, it's fresh figs and goat cheese. The tangy, almost sour, barely salty goat cheese melted ever so slightly into the warm crepe, while the figs gave the slightest pop of resistance as I bit into them, flowing with sweet, seedy juice. A touch of honey pushed the sweetness level right to a hummingly perfect constant and I was in love. It was like eating a piece of E.E. Cummings poetry.
No word on exactly how long the fig and goat cheese crepe will remain on the menu, but, like all crepes at Melange, it won't be there forever. Get one now while you still can and have a little poetry session of your own.
