Zen and the Art of Pancake Making

 

In the middle of a Saturday morning pancake-making marathon, there will come a point when you reach a state of illumination. For a while there, the heat wasn't quite right or the pancakes were too thick. Family members were circling, asking in increasingly plaintive tones when more would be ready. But don't worry. A few rounds in, like magic, everything comes together.

Suddenly, you know intuitively when a pancake needs to be flipped and when it needs another few seconds. You find yourself scooping the exact amount of batter needed to make those uniformly fat and round pancakes that everyone loves. It's effortless. It's easy.

You get fancy and throw some chopped fruit in one batch, nuts in another. See if you can sneak in a little whole wheat without anyone noticing. You're sending some young relative out into the dining room with plate after plate piled high with these lacy golden cakes.

And soon you will join them. You will be heralded with applause and smiles and told to sit down. Someone else will fill your plate and keep drizzling the warm maple syrup until you say, "No, stop, really, that's perfect."

But for the moment, it's just you. You alone with a skillet of sizzling pancakes, making breakfast in this quiet space of zen-like calm while listening with half an ear to the stories being told in the next room.

GINGER-PEAR PANCAKES

Try drizzling these pancakes with warm honey and shake of cinnamon sugar.

Serves 4-6.

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

1 ripe pear, diced small

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

Combine the ginger and pears in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes. Set a strainer over a measuring cup and strain the ginger and pears, catching the ginger-infused water. Pick out the pieces of ginger and discard.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and 3/4 cup of the ginger-infused water. Pour the liquids over the flour mixture and stir gently to form a thick batter. Fold the pear pieces into the batter.

Warm a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Melt a pat of butter and drop scoops of batter into the pan, making the pancakes as big or small as you like. When you see small bubbles appearing in the surface and the edges are set (about 3 minutes), flip the pancakes. Cook for another few minutes until both sides are lightly browned.

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and continue with the rest of the batch. Serve while still warm. Leftover pancakes can be refrigerated for one week, and they reheat well in the toaster.

MULTI-GRAIN PANCAKES WITH QUINOA AND WALNUTS

Serves 4-6.

1/2 cup walnuts

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

2 large eggs

1 cup cooked quinoa (or 1/3 cup raw quinoa simmered in 2/3 cup water)

Toast the walnuts in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally. Walnuts are ready when they are fragrant and show dark toasted spots (5-7 minutes). Chop while still warm and set aside.

Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Pour the liquids over the flour mixture and stir gently to form a thick batter. Fold the quinoa and walnuts into the batter.

Warm a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Melt a pat of butter and drop scoops of batter into the pan, making the pancakes as big or small as you like. When you see small bubbles appearing in the surface and the edges are set (about 3 minutes), flip the pancakes. Cook for another few minutes until both sides are lightly browned.

Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and continue with the rest of the batch. Serve while still warm. Leftover pancakes can be refrigerated for one week, and they reheat well in the toaster.

BLUEBERRY MAPLE SYRUP

Makes 2 cups.

1 pound fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cinnamon stick

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Let the sauce simmer until slightly reduced and syrupy. Remove the cinnamon stick and transfer to a bowl. Serve warm.

 

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Zen and the Art of Pancake Making

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