National Pancake Day

There are a few holidays I hold in high esteem.

1.  Thanksgiving.  It is, simply put, my favorite day of the year.  My family does the same thing and eats the same food every year.  Which is what you’re supposed to do.  Which is delectable in every way.  This is me and Grandma Glass of Milk looking identical on Thanksgiving.

2.  Christmas.  Because it’s the most wonderful time of the year.  I make latkes with Sous Chef Lauren, and I wake up in my own little house in my own little bed and I get to sing Christmas Carols all day.  Oh and I kind of love all the cards.

3.  The Fourth of July.  Again, it’s all about tradition.  I’ve done the same thing on Indpendence Day since I was 2.  You don’t mess with something that works.  Plus it’s the day this little blog started.  With hamburger cupcakes.

There are other holidays I do not hold in high esteem.  Maybe I hold them in low esteem?   I find many holidays contrived and unnecessary.  National Pancake Day is so not one of them.  I’m actually not sure National Pancake Day is a real holiday.  It might be a marketing ploy brought to us by our friends at IHOP.  Whatever.  Well played, IHOP.

Having seen an IHOP commercial about National Pancake Day last night, and having no plans for dinner tonight, I had suddenly (and happily) found inspiration.  Breakfast for dinner.

Dear readers, when you are in desperate need of pancakes, there is only one place to turn.  Joy the Baker.  She lives for pancakes, and she knows a thing or two about making a good batch.  Before leaving work and heading to the grocery store, I perused her pancake archives, and decided that Berry Meyer Lemon Pancakes would bring our day to a close quite nicely.  The only ingredient I needed to pick up was buttermilk (yes, I know you can substitute and make your own, but I will swear until my last breath that I get better results with the real thing).

Yes folks.  I made pancakes without chocolate chips on National Pancake Day.  They said it couldn’t be done.  These pancakes are subtle, at least for someone who’s used to eating pancakes packed with gobs of chocolate chips and drenched in syrup.  But they’re also bright.  They remind me of the cornmeal pancakes with blueberry compote I had at one of my favorite brunches ever from Cookshop in New York City.

The blueberries in this batter cook just to the point where they will pop as soon as they get to your mouth.  And a squeeze of Meyer lemon over the top of your stack will brighten all the flavors up.  Joy suggests serving these with Meyer Lemon Mascarpone as well, but we went the classic route with syrup.

If you missed National Pancake Day, it’s not too late to make these.  The weekend is fast approaching!

(For enough pancakes to serve 2) You will need:

• 1 T sugar
• zest of 1 Meyer Lemon (yes you could use a regular lemon, but it won’t taste the same)
• 1 egg
• 1 C buttermilk
• 2 T butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 C flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 C fresh fruit (Joy says raspberries and/or blueberries.  We had blueberries.)
• Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
• Keep the butter out to add to the skillet or griddle as you cook

Combine the zest and sugar in a small bowl.  Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until it’s pale yellow and fragrant.  Congratulations, you’ve just infused the sugar with a fabulous flavor.  You’ll thank yourself later.  In a medium bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk and butter and whisk till combined.  Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk till combined.  Your batter will be lumpy–all good pancake batters are.  Gently fold in the berries.

Heat a griddle pan or a cast iron skillet over medium heat (I like to start on medium, and gradually turn the heat down as I work).  Add a little butter and heat through.  I use a quarter cup measuring cup, about half full, to pour the batter into the pan.  Heat until bubbles form and start to pop.  Carefully flip the pancakes and cook through on the other side.   Place cooked pancakes on an oven proof plate and let rest in a 200 degree F oven while you fry the rest of the pancakes.  Or, serve someone before yourself and let them chow down.  Pancakes are best right away–who wants to wait?

Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and go for some syrup if you like your food sweet.