pancakes
If there is anything that is the bane of my homemaking existence, it’s my inability to perfect the pancake. And by perfect, I mean recreate a diner-style, slightly sweet, oh-so-fluffy, never tough, golden brown, perfectly circular round of edible deliciousness. My three young boys happen to remind me of my flapjack shortcomings often. Every Saturday morning we pull out the large non-stick, electric griddle and flip dozens of pancakes while listening to the “Blue Yodel No. 9” on WRFL. I do not exaggerate when I say that I have spent countless hours, dozens upon dozens of eggs, numerous pounds of flour and far too much taste testing trying to achieve in our tiny bungalow kitchen the same results that pancake houses and the golden arches drive thru serve by the millions. The hunt is exhausting. The time has come. I’m ready to find the perfect recipe to carry us through many years of Saturday morning pancake breakfasts to come.
As with most comfort foods, pancakes are eaten in some form or fashion in every culture. Scandinavians have crepes (yum), while potato pancakes are popular in Germany. You can eat a sweet pancake called pooda in India and bánh xèo in Vietnam. Our American version is differentiated from most by the use of baking soda and powder to lighten, fluff and brown those golden hued silver dollars we’ve cherished since childhood. Basic as most pancake recipes present themselves to be, they are tricky little suckers to master. Every recipe seems to produce a different reaction (thin batter, thick batter; lots of bubbles, no bubbles) and even the same recipe can give a different result each time (rubbery, dry; too dark, too light). When does the search end? Is there one recipe that marks the end of the perfect pancake search for good?
I would love to say “yes,” but I just can’t because my yes may not be your yes. Everyone must embark on their own pancake quest in life. Pancake preferences abound, so who am I to say my preferred level of sweetness is yours, my desired hint of buttermilk tanginess is what you look for, and the tenderness of bite is the same that you like to sink your teeth into? These answers are ones you must discover for yourself, one Saturday morning pancake breakfast at a time.
Until then, the recipe below is serving us well here at The Smith Homestead. We’re still not at pancake perfection just yet, but the stars are aligning more and more each passing weekend. Have the ultimate pancake recipe? Why not put me out of my experimental kitchen misery and share it on the Southsider website, www.southsidermagazine.com. I’m likely not the only one on the same griddlecake journey.
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Ingredients:
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil,
plus 2 Tbsp. for pan
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Set aside. Preheat a shallow, nonstick pan to medium heat and add 2 Tbsp. oil. Ladle 1/4 cup of pancake batter onto the pan, forming 4-inch circles. When the edges begin to bubble after 1-2 minutes, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown. Cook pancakes on the other side for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 10 to 12 pancakes.
Fun Pancake Facts (from couponsherpa.com)
416: The number of times a single pancake has been tossed in two minutes.
1445: The first year of the Annual Pancake Race in the village of Olney, England. In this women-only race, contestants must carry a pancake in a skillet 415-yards to the finish line.
49: The largest pancake (in feet) on record, weighing three tons and containing an estimated two-million calories.
28.5: Highest pancake toss (in feet)
956: Most pancakes made by an individual in one hour
72: Number of most pancakes eaten by a man in one setting
48: Number of most pancakes eaten by a woman in one setting