The creative potential of crepes is just as high as any other starchy breakfast staple, yet many restaurants fail to tap into it. Pancakes, French Toast and Waffles get all the attention, while the American pancake’s petit French cousin routinely gets pushed to the side.
For years, the locally-famous Chez Vachon was the only option for those in search of offbeat crepe creations, with an eyebrow-raising assortment of fillings, including five types of sausage, eight types of cheese and numerous fruits.
Since 2018, however, Nashua residents have been blessed with their own spot for the underappreciated breakfast staple.
At Butter N’ Jam, the creative potential of the humble crepe is seized to the fullest, with almost two dozen options, many of which utilize house-made accoutrements and locally-sourced products.
The crepes here certainly go beyond butter and jam.
Savory choices include an avocado crepe filled with avocado crema, cheddar cheese, sautéed onions and mushrooms and a prosciutto crepe that features strawberries, mozzarella and a strawberry mint sauce.
The most tempting crepes, however, are dessert-worthy. For something dainty, the Crimson Gold packs beets, whipped goat cheese and honey, making for a pleasant combination of earthy, tangy and floral.
Don’t worry though, less modest choices abound, such as the Salty Dawg, which features fluff, Nutella, caramel sauce and pretzel dust. Your teeth may disapprove, but your taste receptors will go wild.
The crepe that demands your attention the most is the Elvis, which packs a soul-satisfying trio of peanut butter, banana and bacon. As the name would suggest, the crepe is inspired by a gluttonous dish popularized by Elvis Presley himself.
The fact that the king of rock n’ roll died at the untimely age of 42 is no coincidence. Aside from Presley’s perceived addiction to pharmaceutical drugs, his diet was horrendous. Presley’s name is associated with some of the most grotesque foodstuffs imaginable.
There was the Fool’s Gold Loaf, the preparation of which involved hollowing out and buttering a loaf of Italian bread before stuffing it with an entire jar of both peanut butter and jelly and one pound of bacon (belch). Then there’s the Elvis Presley Milkshake, which combines five strips of bacon, bacon fat, three scoops of ice cream, bourbon, two bananas, bourbon and peanut butter. Aside from sipping liquid margarine, guzzling one of these may be the most effective method of clogging arteries.
Nevertheless, Elvis’ most famous creation is the peanut butter and banana sandwich, of which some sources claim also involved bacon. Apparently, the components of the sandwich itself were too lean for the king, because after assembly, the sandwich was pan-fried in a whole stick of melted butter.
Butter N’ Jam’s take on the sandwich equivalent of heart failure is much more prudent than the original, but it still packs a wallop.
The shop makes its peanut butter in-house (did Elvis ever make HIS own peanut butter? I think not!). More importantly, they source their bacon from North Country Smokehouse, a Claremont, NH-based company known for producing some of the finest smoked meats in the country. Butter N’ Jam takes it one step further by candying the bacon slightly to add a bit of contrasting sweetness.
The additive-free nuttiness of the peanut butter, creaminess of the banana and assertive smokiness of the bacon intermingle inside the crepe. Those skeptical of the flavor combination can rest assured that none of the individual flavors overpower each other, but rather all three work together harmoniously. The crepe is filled to capacity, with each bite yielding a pleasing union of creamy, sticky, crisp, sweet, salty and smoky.
Pair this crepe with an espresso, smoothie or cocktail (try the Chunky Funky Monkey, which mixes Almond Bailey’s Irish Cream, banana, espresso, chocolate syrup and almond milk, if health is not the immediate priority), and you’re good to go.
Butter N’ Jam even accepts flavor suggestions from their “Jam Fans,” some of which temporarily appear on the menu, as they offer a “crepe diem” that changes regularly. Go check them out at 449 Amherst street in Nashua.
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