homemade strawberry pancakes, maple syrup

***in which i learn that not every pancake has to come from a plastic container which i shake vigorously after adding water***


Scott doesn't have many strong preferences when it comes to the foodstuffs we buy, barring one item: maple syrup. Apparently, he grew up in a household where good maple syrup was a crucial element in a weekend breakfast, and bad maple syrup (read: the supermarket variety, or anything proclaiming itself to be "lite") was maligned in the worst way.

So we've taken to buying this thick, honey-colored syrup that goes for something like $8 per bottle (I haven't yet mustered up the financial courage to try the $14.99 bottle that sits next to it, mocking me with it's obvious superiority). And this morning I thought, hell, if we're gonna spend the price of two Starbucks lattes on the syrup, why pair it with something as sub-par as Bisquik Shake-N-Pour pancakes?

So I attempted, for the very first time ever in my twenty-seven years on the planet, to make my own.

I used the Mark Bittman recipe, as I find he's good for teaching us amateurs how to make things without adding ridiculous things like the club soda and cream of tartar and lemon rinds and large-grain Malaysian sugar that other recipe writers insist are crucial.

Everyday Pancakes - recipe by Mark Bittman

Time: 20 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
2 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
2 tablespoons melted and cooled butter (optional), plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use neutral oil.

1. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Beat eggs into 1 1/2 cups milk, then stir in 2 tablespoons melted cooled butter, if using it. Gently stir this mixture into dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten flour; don’t worry about a few lumps. If batter seems thick, add a little more milk.

2. Place a teaspoon or 2 of butter or oil on griddle or skillet. When butter foam subsides or oil shimmers, ladle batter onto griddle or skillet, making pancakes of any size you like. Adjust heat as necessary; usually, first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. Flip pancakes after bubbles rise to surface and bottoms brown, after 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Cook until second side is lightly browned. Serve, or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degree oven for up to 15 minutes.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Since it is a summer morning, I decided to chop up some fresh strawberries and fold them into the batter just before cooking. I was going to add blueberries too, and make a sort of "mixed berry pancake", but my heart was with the strawberries alone this morning.

They turned out delish, soft and sweet - but not too sweet, so as to not overpower when paired with the maple syrup. Oh, and I went ahead and added both optional ingredients. I mean, come on - butter and sugar? How's a girl going to turn that down?

Of course, I just blew 8 of my 22 daily Points on breakfast. Time to play some tennis!