I still remember the trip down, what would have taken an adult less than a day ending up four with three kids. But we had fun with it, stopping at a water park and the famous Luray Caverns, staying at motels and visiting chain diners along the way. When we reached the blue-gray hills of Tennessee, we had all the jittery energy of three kids cooped up for days in a car in which there was no space for wrestling and I was perennially getting squashed by my brothers by virtue of being the youngest, smallest, and only girl.
As we piled out of the car and left our parents to sort luggage, my aunt and uncle came out of their two-bedroom ranch to greet us. It was our first time meeting, and, for Uncle Arlis, our only time. He had met my aunt in the U.S. some years ago, and all I knew about him was he was an older vet, and, according to my mom, “a very nice man.” They had lived for most of my aunt’s years in the U.S. in this remote neck of the valley – where flint rocks ran plentiful and bushy peach trees lined the backyard and gardens – and seemed to have achieved some peace in what must have been two challenging lives.
My aunt smiled at us and laid out cots for me and my brothers in the middle of the cramped living area. For the next few days we did nothing but run like loose cannons around the gray hills and valleys, racing each other down dirt paths in the light Tennessee rain, trying and failing to start fires using flint and nothing else (more my brothers’ mission than mine). I spent time trying to build rapport with my aunt – at one point writing a long epistle about our journey, describing the water slides at the park and asking my dad how to spell both stalagmite and stalactite so I could regale her with a detailed account of our adventures. I proceeded to read aloud what I’d written, gesticulating wildly and acting out parts of it. My aunt watched me closely, smiling and nodding throughout my 6 year old’s rendition – but even now I’m not sure how much she understood and how much she had to fake.
Our last day came quickly, and soon we were standing under a cloudy sky, waving vigorous goodbyes as we got ready for the much longer-seeming journey back home. As we pulled out of the driveway, our aunt ran to the car and handed me a jar of peach jam – the delicious home-made preserves we had slathered over pancakes and toast throughout the week. She didn’t say anything, of course, and couldn’t have heard anything I said back, but my grateful look as we drove off seemed to transgress the boundaries of sound, if the tears in her eyes showed anything.
That was our first and only time in Tennessee, and the first and only time I’ve seen my aunt. Twenty six years later, the memories are there, triggered by the strident sweetness of peaches and any darkly gray stones, pulling me to a plane where I can grasp my aunt’s hand and reach her understanding.
- Crêpes
- ½ c cassava flour
- 1 c tigernut flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tb melted ghee (non-AIP/V), olive oil or coconut oil
- pinch of sea salt
- 1.25 - 1.5 c coconut milk or water
- pinch cinnamon
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Peach Sauce
- Paleo caramel sauce
This post has been shared at Phoenix Helix’s Paleo-AIP Roundtable.
What a sweet story! I’ve been drooling since I saw these pictures yesterday by the way. They’re the most perfect looking crepes, and they’re vegan and paleo too! Whaaaaat!!
This was amazing! I need to figure out how to make the crepes thinner but the flavor overything was so good! Even my non-paleo/AiP friends liked it.
Glad you liked it! For thinner crepes I would just try adjusting the liquid content and adding more water/milk.?
Hi! What kind of non-stick pan do you use? If coconut milk is used in the recipe, is there a noticeable coconut taste? Thanks! The crepes look beautiful!!
Hi Tasha! I used a ceramic non-stick for these. If you have a well-seasoned cast iron pan that should work as well. I don’t notice an obvious coconut taste from coconut milk (although it may depend on the brand you use), but if you’d prefer you could always sub it out with a different milk or water. And thanks! 🙂
When I made these, mine started cracking – and then would fall apart. Any tips as to what might be happening?? I was so excited to find an AIP crepe recipe!
Hi Shelly, what flours (brands) are you using? Different cassava flours can absorb different amounts of liquid – so depending what you’re using, I might try switching the tigernut + cassava ratios (try 1 c tigernut, 1/2 c cassava) and potentially add a bit more liquid if it seems warranted – you could also try adding a bit of tapioca/arrowroot starch to see if that will help with the binding. Hope this helps!
What flour could I use instead of cassava?
What flours do you have/can you tolerate? (i.e. can you do non-AIP but paleo ingredients?)
What a touching story. I am so sorry you were never able to get together with that Aunt again. I guess I am so fortunate to grow up with all my Aunts and Uncles nearby except for one and we saw them every few years. This sounds like a wonderful recipe and i am going to try it. I have never used nor have the tigernut flour so will need to get some. And I was thrilled to see your Uncle was an ARLIS!! I have never met a male Arliss but know it can be a mans name a lso.
Thanks Arliss! My uncle Arlis is the only Arlis(s) I’ve encountered (male or female), it’s lovely to connect with another! And indeed always a blessing to have family close by, I guess the rest of the time we must rely on our memories (and peach jam ;).