Pancakes

Love a good breakfast. Love, love, love it. Brunch, breakfast...makes no difference to me so long as there is lots of yummy food. One of my favourites is pancakes. I make pancakes once a week on average, mostly on Sundays. When I'm feeling healthy, it's Buttermilk Pancakes doubling the amount of oats from one cup to two so they are extra healthy (from the book 'New Glucose Revolution' that Mum gave me). Or it used to be a recipe from Jan the Nutritionist that had flaxseeds in the mix. When I'm cutting loose, it might be a recipe from 'The Pancake Handbook - Specialities from Bette's Oceanview Diner', a book that Jen in Berkeley sent me. Or any pancake recipe that catches my eye.

Which is what happened this morning. For Michael's birthday breakfast treat (seeing as he missed out yesterday morning) I made Pancakes with Bacon and Bananas, taken from delicious. magazine* (Vol 2, Issue 9...they don't seem to have the month on them now but it would be the current Sept 2005 edition). I followed the recipe exactly, only leaving out the poached eggs as I'd run out. Very yummy. The pancakes were light (made with buttermilk and half teaspoon of cinammon), topped with a sprinkle of brown sugar, banana slices, bacon and maple syrup. Michael gave them the thumbs up (he likes bacon...sometimes I think he'd prefer bacon and eggs to the weekly pancake breakfast).

But my regular, favourite topping for pancakes is full-fat plain yoghurt, real maple syrup with pecans crumbled on top (in that order). The best. I *think* we got the idea from our trip to NYC in October 2002 from the diner opposite our hotel where we often had breakfast.

And I am such a pancake nerd that I have my favourite electric pan to cook them in. I went into the electrical store within Globus a while ago searching for an electric frypan to cook pancakes in. I came out with something far superior - a 45cm x 25cm flat electric pan with a small lip and silver handles at either end. The brand is Princess (never heard of it) and it cost about Sf 100. It's the perfect pancake maker as it's flat and plain, and can cook 8 pancakes at one go. So for most of my recipes I'm only turning out 2 or 3 batches before I get to sit down and eat. Who could ask for more.

I think I've said enough about my pancake obsession...for now.

*Speaking of delicious. magazine there is another breakfast-related recipe from this month's edition I want to make...Watermelon Jam. I've bought the watermelon, but I'm not sure where I can find vanilla beans. Might have to try in town.
Update (about an hour later) - I have just been to Coop here and they have vanilla beans. Might try and make the jam tonight, in between the brownies and cookies for tomorrow's order.