Pancakes

I realized as I made pancakes on this snowy morning the real reason that I think making pizza dough is so easy.  My father.  Growing up, my mother did most of the cooking (she is a great cook and I am sure many of her recipes will be featured prominently on future editions of Hannah Eats), but there were three things that were exclusively my dad's domain: pancakes, pizza, and chocolate chip cookies.  If you count frozen ravioli, four things, but I am leaving that off of the list.  As with everything in our household, all of these things were made from scratch.  No mixes, boxes, just-add-water concoctions.

I have fond memories of weekend mornings by the woodstove with a plate of my dad's pancakes.  I also have a few less fond memories, like the time he made banana pancakes (bleck), and the time he put celery on the pizza.  And carrots.  And of course there was the time he accidentally dropped a whole egg, shell and all, into the mixer (I can't remember if he picked out the pieces of shell or started over), prompting him, at least for the next batch but probably not for long after, to heed my mother's advice to break eggs into a separate bowl first.  My father liked to make recipes his way, often sans a few ingredients or with a few extra ones as a reasonable substitute.

What I learned from watching my father cook and tasting his creations is that every recipe has a bit of wiggle room.  So you forget the bread crumbs in the buffalo meatloaf (I neglected to tell you this in my recent post, dear reader, but it's true, I did).  It still turns out just fine.  So you ignore the order that ingredients should be added to the pancake batter and don't sift the flour.  They are still delicious.  This was a valuable lesson--make do, improvise.  You'll probably get pretty close.

What I also learned from watching my father cook and tasting his creations is that recipes have specific lists of ingredients and instructions for a reason.  And, if you consistently follow these lists of ingredients and instructions, your product will be consistent.  And palatable.  The wrong time and temperature will leave your chocolate chip cookies with blackened, inedible bottoms.  Baking powder/soda are usually in recipes for a reason.  I could go on.

Learning the balance between toeing the line and improvisation is the key to being a good cook.  Sometimes leaving out a seemingly key ingredient actually improves the recipe, often it doesn't.  But no matter how it turns out, one is left with funny stories and fond memories of banana pancakes, burnt cookies, and pizza with celery and carrots. 

Pancakes

Adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook

Makes 10-12 pancakes

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 egg

2 Tbsp shortening (vegetable oil or melted butter)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Whisk together buttermilk, egg, and shortening.  In separate bowl, combine and sift baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt, and flour.  Add to liquid ingredients and mix until smooth and no lumps remain.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium-low heat.  Test to see that griddle is at correct temperature by adding a drop of water.  If the water 'scatters' and sizzles, it is ready.  Pour batter onto griddle, approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.  When little bubbles begin to appear in surface of pancake, flip to other side. Cook until browned.