Until recently, I had never made pancakes before. Okay, that’s not true; I’ve made them quite often over the years, but almost always with a mix, either Bisquick or Jiffy. In my bachelor days, I might even make enough batter for two or three meals and put the leftovers in the fridge.
But one Monday morning, my daughter decided she wanted pancakes for breakfast, which, of course, meant that I would make them. I am the only unemployed person in the household. Moreover, she required that I use… a recipe?
Specifically, this one from AllRecipes.com. It wasn’t difficult, but it was a bit annoying. It started with, “I found this pancake recipe in my Grandma’s recipe book. Judging from the weathered look of this recipe card, this was a family favorite.” Sure, why not?
Then we get the prep time and the ingredients. But then it lists “How to Store and Reheat Pancakes,” followed by “Can You Save Pancake Batter?” I just want to make the food. “Can You Freeze Pancakes?” I just got up, and I’m already falling asleep again.
“Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise.” Whatever. I will note the first comment. “This recipe is one to hand down to your grandkids,” raves… “Fluffy and delicious. Haven’t bought a box of pancake mix in months! Just add a bit of vanilla and poof! Magic.” I’ve been adding vanilla for years, ever since it was suggested on a Bisquick box.
What I really, really want
Finally, the Ingredients with the actual amounts! And the Directions! It was the daughter’s suggestion, even in my Bisquick days, to mix the dry ingredients before adding the liquid ones. Adding salt was new to me, and I was very parsimonious with its use. But I’ve been trying to avoid adding salt to my food for years.
Oh, I came across another AllRecipes page: What’s the Difference Between Dry and Liquid Measurements? I never liked those metal dry measuring cups, though I understand how effective they are. So in this experiment I DID use two sets of measuring cups. (Another item to put in the dishwasher? The horror!)
I always have to be alert to add baking POWDER rather than baking SODA. About 30 years ago, I used the POWDER, and it was VILE. My daughter said I could substitute cooking oil for butter. Nah, although I had always used vegetable oil.
The verdict was that my wife and daughter liked them. I thought they were fine. If I were making it again, I’d probably bump up the milk quantity from a cup to 1 1/4 cups.
Not incidentally, we almost ALWAYS use real maple syrup. Because.
