Pancake Project #5

Do you know what I like? Toast.

Toast is so multifaceted and dreamy. These may be some strange adjectives to describe a piece of bread with a slab of butter oozing into its pores and dripping off its crusty edge. But allow me to explain...

Toast is the sick person’s best friend and the well person’s comfort food. Toast dazzles its fans with its utter simplicity and draws you into your childhood memories of the days when your mom would make that well-rounded breakfast that you could smell all the way from your bedroom. And, suddenly, hopping out of bed at the sound of your alarm wasn’t as painstaking as it was yesterday. Why? Because of that heavenly scent of freshly scrambled eggs, greasy seared bacon, hot-off-the-stove sausage…and warm, buttery toast.

One of the things I remember most about my Grandpa O’Rourke was his love of toast. But not just any toast—milk toast. Soggy, icky, milky milk toast. I asked my mom at least a dozen times to explain to me why Grandpa loved this mushy snack, but I think a plausible explanation was even out of my mother’s superb capability to have the answer to all of my diverse questions as a little girl. But while I sat on Grandpa’s lap in the old kitchen on Shelburne Road in Burlington, Vermont, watching Grandpa joyfully stomach this unusual concoction of carbohydrates and dairy, I loved him all the more.

The biggest toast enthusiast in my life today? My mom—most definitely. I am certain she got this love of toasty fresh bread from my Grandpa, though I am thankful that she didn’t let the milk part of the tasty treat pass down to her like Grandpa’s genetics did. My mom’s favorite toast buddy—without question—is good ‘ol butter.
It’s back-to-basics day on When Life Gives You Pancakes. Time to relish the beautiful simplicity of the pancake’s version of toast and butter: pancake and butter.

My plan: Take a break from the insanity of my spaghetti pancakes, macaroni and cheese pancakes, omelet pancakes, and hamburger pancakes and enjoy everything that’s best about the simple pancake. How will I do that? By topping it with the carbohydrate’s favorite fatty companion: butter.

My method: Make the pancake batter. Use any kind of batter recipe you like—buttermilk, whole wheat, whole wheat buttermilk…I recommend your absolute, mouth-watering favorite. Cook the pancake in your fry pan, flipping when deliciously golden brown. When you’ve cooked your simple little pancake, finish it off with a slab of butter.


My verdict: What’s not to love? Pancake—good. Butter—better. Pancake and butter—mmm.

My personal side note: Butter is never a health food. But in an honest attempt to lighten up my delectable little pancake treat, I used a “natural buttery spread—made with olive oil!” If my mother knew this, she would surely roll her eyes at me, as a dedicated stick-butter shopper and eater. Oh well. I also hope you enjoy the baby version of the pancake I chose to photograph. This, I suppose, was my salute to the “snack” size.

~Happy Pancake Eating~