The following two recipes - representing France and Italy - come from Julia Child's "Menu Cookbook." Add this to your library list, as well!

(Molded mountain of crepes layered with vegetables and cheese)

"Here is a handsome dish indeed, layers of fresh vegetables bound with a cheese custard, baked in a mold lined with crepes - those multipurpose thin French pancakes. Serve it hot as a first course, a luncheon dish, or as the main course for a vegetarian meal, and any leftovers are good cold."

(plm: Merry Mary: You will want to use this thinly sliced as a light first course, or even as an appetizer)

Equipment: A heavy cast-iron or cast-aluminum (nonstick recommended) frying pan with 5-1/2" bottom diameter, for the crepes; an 8-cup baking dish, such as a metal charlotte mold, 4" deep; an instant meat thermometer is recommended

The Crepes - Batter: * (for 18 to 20 crepes 5-1/2" or 14 cm in diameter): Scoop dry-measure cup into flour container until cup is overflowing; sweep off excess with the straight edge of a knife, and pour flour into a pitcher or bowl. Blend the milk and water into the flour, beating with a whip until smooth (easy with Wondra or instant-blending flour), then beat in the eggs, salt and butter or oil. Let rest for 10 minutes (1-2 hours, if using all-purpose flour) so the flour granules can absorb the liquid-making a tender crepe.

The Crepes - Cooking: To cook the crepes, heat frying pan or pans until drops of water sizzle on the surface. Brush lightly with a little butter (usually only necessary for the first crepe), and pour 2 to 3 tablespoons or so of the batter into the center of the pan, turning the pan in all directions as you do so to spread the batter over the bottom surface. (If you have poured in too much, pour excess back into your batter bowl.) Cook for 30 seconds or so, until you see, when you lift an edge, that it is nicely browned. Turn and cook for 10 to 15 seconds more-this second side never cooks evenly and is kept as the non-public or bottom side of the crepe. Arrange crepes, as they are made, on a cake rack so they will cool and dry off for 5 minutes or so. When dry (but not brittle!), stack together, wrap in foil, and place in a plastic bag.

Crepes will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. To freeze, it is best to package them in stacks of 6 or 8; either thaw at room temperature, or unpackage and heat in a covered dish in a moderate oven for 5 minutes or until they separate easily.

but now that I have learned the cool-and-dry system, I have not found it necessary, even for freezing.

Preparing the Vegetables: Trim and peel the carrots, and cut into julienne matchsticks.. Saute in 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter in a large frying pan, swirling and tossing frequently until carrots are nicely tender and being careful not to brown them. Season well with salt, pepper, and optional dill; set aside in a bowl.

Trim and wash the mushrooms, and cut into fine mince (a food processor is helpful here); a handful at a time, twist the mushrooms in the corner of a clean towel to extract as much of their juice as possible. Saute in the same large frying pan in 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter with the shallots

continued in part 2