Grandma's Famous Pancakes

By: D'Arcy Murphy

www.allrecipes.com

In my family, my grandmother’s famous pancake recipe has been passed on to all of her kids and grand-kids. Unlike the pancakes most people are used to, these are thick, hearty ones that are shaped almost like a hockey puck but still have a soft, warm inside. These delicious treats are often saved for birthday breakfasts or Pancake Tuesday dinners.

Shrove Tuesday- better known as “Mardi Gras” (the French term for “Fat Tuesday”), or “Pancake Tuesday”- is the last day of Ordinary Time in the Catholic Church before Lent. It’s traditionally a day reserved for eating all of the fatty and sugary foods in the house before fasting during the waiting period before Holy Week and Easter.

Each year on Shrove Tuesday, I hear the sizzle of the frying pan when my mom starts to make pancakes and sausages for the traditional meal. After setting the table, I have my sights set on picking out the biggest pancakes for my plate. To pass this tradition on to you, I’ve decided to share this hallowed recipe, forever recorded on an old scrap piece of paper stained with batter:

Ingredients:

• 1 and ⅓ cup of white all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 and ½ teaspoons of salt
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 and ¼ cup of milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl
• Mix until just combined
• Add a pad of butter to a warm skillet or frying pan
• Pour a scoop of batter onto the pan and keep each pancake well-spaced
• When the batter sets, flip each pancake
• Flip a few more times until both sides are golden
• Serve and enjoy
• Tip: in my family, we often skip the maple syrup and cover our pancakes with butter and a bit of white sugar on top. Try it!