Pancake Upgrade

Pancakes are one of the most loved and most cherished foods to make. Everyone loves them whether they be in short stacks or long, covered with syrup and dripping with butter. They're our security blanket on cold winter mornings. They're our go to vacation breakfast food, easy to make in stamp sized motel kitchen.s However they re boring. It's time for an upgrade.

Mark Bittman, , urged this in his The Minimalist column in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.Basic pancakes are easy, to make , he writes, however after a while they kind of lose their zing with just the basic ingredients. He suggests tweaking them even by simply changing the flour. Buckwheat pancakes are wonderful, as are whole wheat. Anything brown is good for you and you can add to their wholesomeness with some nuts and rolled oats. Another suggestion is even adding some corn meal for a different taste and texture.

Pancakes make great blank canvasses. Mr. Bittman also give out ideas for making them fruitier by adding sliced bananas or trying different spices and nuts.Peanut butter or chocolate chip pancakes are recommended too . These are even a fun dessert, just served with whipped cream and maybe a drizzle of chocolate syrup. You can also vary the pancake batter too. Add more flour for a denser texture, less i f you want a more crepe like skillet cake. Also add more baking powder for a cakier type of pancake or more sugar for sweeter ones. make them with separated eggs, beating the white into almost a meringue like fluff. Then add to the batter for light puffy, souffle type pancakes.

Pancakes are a great comfort food. There's no denying that. However they can be a bit boring. Spice them up with different variations for breakfast, dessert or even snack. Experiment with them every now and then. There are a dozen ways how!

Cold Spring

Foodies,

Thsi foodie has gotten the first really bad cold fo Spring. I am so dope d up right now I don't know if I'll write anything lucid or give the recipe for something odd like ocelot pancakes or pizza topped with herring and old shoes. (which sounds like a strange Northern European wedding custom)

I 'll be back tomorrow, hopefully better and less dopier.

Liz