Ship of Fools: Pancakes

Thread: Pancakes Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

It's Shrove Tuesday. Plain and simple pancakes, elaborate ones with fruit and/or a variety of toppings, or savoury ones?

Home-made or do you get whatever you like the look of in the supermarket?

If making them yourself, do you attempt to flip and toss them, or do you not bother?

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

Shop bought ones I'm afraid, but they were very nice. Daellenwr had lemon, Lord P had sugar and I had various curds, maple syrup and lemon and sugar - not all at once!

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

The new oven doesn't arrive until tomorrow, so I can't make them tonight - pout.

I like pancakes made with half buckwheat flour, half wholewheat and served filled with butter beans cooked in pesto. Or the standard plain flour and lemon and sugar. Or wholewheat, cream cheese, apple purée and cinnamon, or ...

Then there are latkes

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

My favourites, and I make them throughout the year whenever I feel like it, are

1) traditional ones with lemon and sugar or golden syrup. Maple syrup is the best if you can get it.

2) Scotch pancakes. Served hot with some butter they make a good breakfast - or dinner if you're feeling too lazy to cook.

3) Large Dutch-style ham and cheese pancakes with a drizzle of golden syrup. Wonderful.

Posted by Adrienne (# 2334) on :

I came home from work thinking - what's the point of making them to eat by myself ... whereupon a voice in my head replied 'because it's the day for it - stop being such a miserable b****r and get the pan out.' I just ate two with mackerel and avocado, and am going to move on to lemon and sugar now. [Smile]

Posted by Oscar the Grouch (# 1916) on :

One of the sad things about crossing the Atlantic is that pancakes mean a very different thing here.

We're having a pancake supper at the church today, but it won't be proper pancakes. [Frown]

Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :

The grandchildren asked for pancakes so I made them for lunch.
Then grandson decided he didn't want any so all the more for us.
Used my trusty Delia recipe, carefully turning not flipping or tossing and served with sugar and lemon.
The Olney pancake race nearby had a brilliantly sunny day for it.

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :

We will be having home-made vegan pancakes, with savoury fillings first (ratatouille from a tin) and then sugar and lemon.

Sometimes we have more savoury fillings, depending on who is making stuff and how much we can be bothered.

Posted by Qoheleth. (# 9265) on :

Home made, Cheddar and sauted onion, followed by lemon and sugar. [Smile]

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :

I'll happily eat pancakes of any flavour of type, but today we settled on standard ones with fresh raspberries. Just fried, not flipped.

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

I've given up going to the annual Pancake Dinners at church. For my final pre-Lent celebration, I really don't want a soggy pancake swimming in phony maple syrup, and a little paper cup of fruit punch. Whenever I've gone to these I've gone home hungry and have had to have something more to eat. So this evening I'm going to a nice Italian restaurant and having a good dinner and a glass (or two) of wine.

Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on :

Homemade here. Lemon and sugar, then maple syrup, then Dutch stroop syrup. Yum! [Smile]

Youngest family member also indulged in chocolate spread on one.

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :

Other half always makes the pancakes here, we normally have savoury and sweet on Shrove Tuesday but he only got in at 8.30 pm so we've already eaten first course and he is about to cook some for pudding. I'll probably have honey on mine.

[ 17. February 2015, 19:40: Message edited by: Heavenly Anarchist ]

Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :

We have "modified" our intentions to beans on toast.

Lets just say the vegan batter was not quite what we had hoped.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

I read this thread and thought 'Aaargh! We're having fish cakes!' Which we did - and very good too with a cheese sauce and sauté vegetables. Then I did a couple of crepes, with lemon, sugar and squidge-on cream. That, and a bottle of Alsatian Pinot Grigio added up to a very nice midweek dinner.

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

Waitrose - I make too many for one with one egg, and I can freeze theirs. Lemon and sugar. I too wondered why do it for just me, but then I thought that it was a way of remembering those who have gone, and bringing the past into the present.

Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :

Personally I am a tosser, on principle (parse that how you will).

Having ours tomorrow - I'm still recovering from revolting lurgi, so will appreciate them more tomorrow evening.

AG

Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :

We had ours filled with leeks and ham, rolled up and covered in cheese sauce. Used bought pancakes as they are a bit sturdier for wrapping round the filling, but this was a mistake. The packet said "for sweet or savoury fillings" - but the pancakes themselves were sweet. Yuk!
Back to making my own next year!

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

Had a couple with bacon & mushrooms in garlicky cream sauce. Very nice.

btw, if you're using a packet mix for the pancakes I'm afraid it shall be its own punishment.

Posted by TonyK (# 35) on :

Homemade - created by yours truly as Mrs TonyK is still recovering from a knee operation.

Traditional with lemon juice (freshly squeezed, not from a bottle) and castor sugar.

Yum! (though I say it myself!!)

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :

The Anglicans hosted a great lunch.... Sweet, savoury, real maple syrup, homemade jams and relishes, local cream... Oh yum!

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :

The local tradition is to eat them with maple syrup and greasy sausages, followed by crippling heartburn. We are not going to the church supper this evening. Distant memory says that sugar and lemon juice is the only way, but my Dear Wife, who is American, disagrees. It has been a source of marital discord over the years.

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

Sainsbury's sweet pancakes (my wife cheated), filled with a mixture of chestnut puree, double cream and icing sugar (a bit too much).

Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :

Lemon juice and sugar, natch, although the children had theirs with chocolate sauce, the little heathens.

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

I'd be interested in hearing what constitutes pancakes on the other side of the pond. How are they different from North American pancakes?

Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
I'd be interested in hearing what constitutes pancakes on the other side of the pond. How are they different from North American pancakes?

American pancakes are thick and have a raising agent (usually baking powder). English pancakes are thin (just flour / eggs / milk).

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

More like crêpes, then.

Posted by churchgeek (# 5557) on :

I went to my church's pancake supper after popping over to Hamtramck to get some paczki. There were also waffles at the pancake supper, and fruit and jams and other stuff. And sausages. But no paczki, which is a shame, 'cause we are in Detroit.

I spent about an hour at the bakery to get my paczki. I'd never gone and gotten my own before. Usually someone brings them to work...but I'm unemployed, alas.

Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :

Some friends at church held a pancake party. They supplied pancakes, lemon and sugar, tea and coffee. Others brought any other toppings and drinks.

It was lovely to spend time chatting and eating with friends.

Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
More like crêpes, then.

Crepe is just the French word for pancake from a UK perspective. Same thing.

Posted by Full Circle (# 15398) on :

My local church had a traditional party, complete with pass the parcel, musical bumps, a beetle drive and an oat based pancake. Mayhem and great fun

Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :

This thread inspired me to dig in the freezer and pull out a couple of commercial cheese blintzes for dessert. Pan fry in butter, garnish with sugar, applesauce and strawberries.

Hey, at least it kept me from driving down to the local bakery for some of their yummy Packzi (Polish pre lent donuts) or King cake.

Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :

Ours was an event for the community, organised by the two churches for all comers. Pancakes with maple syrup, or lemon & sugar, cream – not sure what other options there were. There was music, clowns and bouncy castle, some brought a picnic tea – it was from 5.30 on a sunny afternoon. Great fun, great pancakes.

GG

Posted by crunt (# 1321) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adrienne:
' I just ate two with mackerel and avocado, and am going to move on to lemon and sugar now.

Mackerel and avocado! Is that a high church thing?

I haven't had pancakes (the thin crepe-y ones) with lemon and sugar for years and years; not since I was last in Wales, at least. I tend to forget that it is even Shrove Tuesday until it is Ash Wednesday already.

The summer Christmas of the southern hemisphere is the obvious cultural change that everyone goes on about, but I have always found an autumnal Easter far more discombobulating.

Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:

quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
More like crêpes, then.
Crepe is just the French word for pancake from a UK perspective. Same thing.

I always think of a crêpe as being even slimmer. I think crêpes have the batter spread very thin in the pan with a spreader, producing a result that is even thinner than the English pancake. But yes, they're not terribly different.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:

quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
More like crêpes, then.
Crepe is just the French word for pancake from a UK perspective. Same thing.

There are also gallettes made with buckwheat. These usually have savoury fillings. Don't confuse these with the Breton biscuits of the same name.

Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :

When there's a bit more time between my innards and food poisoning, I could be very tempted by mackerel and avocado!

AG

Posted by leo (# 1458) on :

Savoury AND fruit - 2 courses. First one with spinach and ricotta cheese, second with raisins and lemon.

My church had pancakes last Sunday morning, which strikes me as a tad too early.

Posted by Siegfried (# 29) on :

Screw pancakes--I'm all about the paczki! Prefer jelly-filled as opposed to cream.

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

I considered doing pancakes, but D. had other ideas and made a (v. good) chicken casserole. [Big Grin]

If we had done pancakes, they'd have been big fluffy Canadian ones about 7 or 8 inches across, made with pancake-mix [Hot and Hormonal]

and served with fried eggs, sausages, possibly bacon and lots of maple syrup.

Those paczki things look much more like doughnuts to me - I think I'll leave them for those that appreciate them, as one doughnut every few months is usually enough for me.

Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :

I bought some scotch pancake things from M&S - they had choice chips in them. Nice, but not quite right, somehow.

I have in the fridge a pack of M&S plain pancakes, which I shall eat over the next few days with lemon juice and a fine sprinkle of sugar. It's the only way...

And the DH will whinge that I could have made them cheaper. And he would (on this occasion) be correct.

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

When we lived in West London, we sometimes went to Chez Linday in Richmond. It was already an institution then, and is still going strong: wonderful crepes and great Breton cider.

Other great places were La Krampouzerie in Quimper, which we visited on holiday a few years back. The walls are decorated with pictures of British cast-iron drain covers! And also La Mariniere - eating wonderful crepes while over looking the sea (a bit breezy - definitely not in February!)

Posted by Adrienne (# 2334) on :

quote:
Originally posted by crunt:
Mackerel and avocado! Is that a high church thing?

It might be! [Big Grin]

Would it help if I told you I had an excellent single malt with it? Thinking about it now, I may have given those pancakes an incorrect number of turns of the pepper-mill - now where are me Ritual Notes...

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

You will note it didn't snow yesterday. It may be coincidence, but one of our daughter churches did not have a pancake evening last night. This event has a history of being snowed off.

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Oscar the Grouch:
One of the sad things about crossing the Atlantic is that pancakes mean a very different thing here.

We're having a pancake supper at the church today, but it won't be proper pancakes.

Simply a different label for different things as noted previously depending on where you live. Church pancakes are usually not very good, and a form of penance in themselves. The sausages are also usually not very grand. My tendency is to agree to be on the clean-up and set-up crew and avoid being handed a plate.

I prefer waffles.

Posted by TonyK (# 35) on :

quote:
Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
{snip} Church pancakes are usually not very good {snip}

The problem is it is almost impossible to keep
proper pancakes after they are cooked. Despite the very best of intentions and practice, they end up leathery.

They have to be eaten as soon as they are cooked, straight from the frying pan onto the plate.

Which is why shop-bought English style pancakes aren't very good. The American style ones however (especially with lemon and raisin) are wonderful...

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

Savoury: Smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Sweet: Blueberry compote with banana and maple syrup. Folded then covered in cream.

I don't always eat this posh.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

IMO you can't beat Dutch pancakes. Large, hot, savoury, a drizzle of golden syrup, they're sunshine on a winter's day. Even plain they're still good, and still somehow have a slightly distinctive flavour I've never been able to reproduce when making them at home.

I've never used a pancake mix. I either buy mine ready-made or make my own, and there's an apple and cinnamon one waiting for tomorrow's breakfast.

Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :

Nutella, Waitrose pancakes (bought reduced and put in the freezer for a rainy day), everyone happy

My son had some mint and chocolate ice cream with his. It has spirulina in too, but we glossed over that. He was especially happy.

Posted by Spike (# 36) on :

NUTELLA??!!! WITH PANCAKES??!!!!!!
[Projectile]

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

quote:
Ariel: IMO you can't beat Dutch pancakes.

My mother makes them with pieces of apple and raisins. And of course we put stroop on them.

Posted by Sandemaniac (# 12829) on :

Louche reprobate that I am, I managed to toss one whilst elegantly lounging in the kitchen, wearing a dressing gown, and clutching a book in the other hand.

AG

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Spike:
NUTELLA??!!! WITH PANCAKES??!!!!!!

Don't knock it till you've tried it. I didn't think I'd like it either but it's surprisingly good.

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

Agreed - it's yummy!

I wonder if slicing in a bit of banana, too, would be nice?

[ 19. February 2015, 08:28: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]

Posted by Spike (# 36) on :

Father forgive them for they know not what they do [Big Grin]

Posted by ElaineC (# 12244) on :

I came across this page of ways to use Nutella. Most of then sound delicious...

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :

I prefer to just eat straight sugar, which is cheaper than Nutella [Projectile]

There was advice recently to stop feeding it to children.

Pancakes of the fluffy variety are best with some fruit and maple syrop. Or syrop from Summerland Sweets which is made with every fruit imaginable. I don't know what a boysenberry is but I like it.

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
I really don't want a soggy pancake swimming in phony maple syrup.

Ditto. Real maple syrup or nothing. The other stuff is just colored water with sugar added.

In my youth I worked one summer as a breakfast cook at a Holiday Inn. The chef had a secret for pancakes: separate the eggs, beat the whites stiff, and fold in the beaten whites at the last minute.

I use Bisquick, evaporated milk and, of course, the separated eggs.

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

quote:
Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
I don't know what a boysenberry is.

Read it and weep.

Posted by LutheranChik (# 9826) on :

My favorite pancakes: Thick (really thick) and fluffy; no flavoring -- no vanilla, cinnamon -- but maybe a serving spoon of sugar in the batter; butter and real maple syrup as toppings. Occasionally blueberries or some fresh cut-up apple in the batter. The current fad of dumping what appears to be canned pie filling on the cakes and then spraying copious amounts of Redi-Whip over the whole mess -- Just. No. But that's just me.

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LutheranChik:
The current fad of dumping what appears to be canned pie filling on the cakes and then spraying copious amounts of Redi-Whip over the whole mess -- Just. No. But that's just me.

No, it's all civilized people.

Posted by Oscar the Grouch (# 1916) on :

quote:
Originally posted by LutheranChik:
My favorite pancakes: Thick (really thick) and fluffy; no flavoring -- no vanilla, cinnamon -- but maybe a serving spoon of sugar in the batter; butter and real maple syrup as toppings. Occasionally blueberries or some fresh cut-up apple in the batter.

It sounds lovely. Just a pity that it ain't a pancake. Call it something else. Please?

Mrs Grouch is of the firm opinion that a PROPER pancake should be so thin as to be almost transparent. And she does make exceedingly good pancakes....

Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Baptist Trainfan:

I wonder if slicing in a bit of banana, too, would be nice?

Pancakes are on special at a local café all week - today I had sliced banana pancake, drizzled with golden syrup. Exquisite.

The Church Pancake Supper was combined with a beetle drive, but instead of throwing the dice to collect parts of a beetle, we had to collect 'ingredients' to make a pancake. First you had to throw a 6 for the bowl.

In the interval there was a choice of sweet and savoury pancakes - I chose chilli con carne (main course) and sugar / lemon and blueberries for dessert.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Oscar the Grouch:
It sounds lovely. Just a pity that it ain't a pancake. Call it something else. Please?

Mrs Grouch is of the firm opinion that a PROPER pancake should be so thin as to be almost transparent. And she does make exceedingly good pancakes....

Scotch pancakes aren't noted for their slenderness, but pancakes they are and very more-ish.

Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:

quote:
Originally posted by Spike:
NUTELLA??!!! WITH PANCAKES??!!!!!!

Don't knock it till you've tried it. I didn't think I'd like it either but it's surprisingly good.

There've been reports recently that when analysed Nutella turns out to have huge amounts of sugar and fat and not a lot of anything else on the mutrition charts. Described as "spreadable candy". And you know that when it comes to chocolate bars, there's chocolate and then there's "candy" ... brown stuff that isn't good enough to be called chocolate.

John

Posted by Amanda B. Reckondwythe (# 5521) on :

quote:
Originally posted by John Holding:
Nutella turns out to have huge amounts of sugar

Sugar is listed as the first ingredient. It's bad for you -- bad, bad, bad!

Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
I've given up going to the annual Pancake Dinners at church. For my final pre-Lent celebration, I really don't want a soggy pancake swimming in phony maple syrup, and a little paper cup of fruit punch. Whenever I've gone to these I've gone home hungry and have had to have something more to eat. So this evening I'm going to a nice Italian restaurant and having a good dinner and a glass (or two) of wine.

Whereas I can't stand real maple syrup! Never have liked it. The fake stuff suits me just fine and even better, the sugar-free syrup is quite good and I can eat pancakes without feeling so guilty that I'm adding one more nail to my coffin (Type 2 diabetic).

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
... Scotch pancakes aren't noted for their slenderness, but pancakes they are and very more-ish.

I think that what you call a Scotch pancake is what I'd call a drop scone.

In the words of the immortal Colin Campbell:

quote:
And now to the results of the drop scone competition. Mrs. Sinclair from Keiss, you must have dropped them from a hell of a height ...

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :

The recipe for drop scones is almost identical to my wife's grade 8 Home Ec cooking binder pancake recipe, with the main difference is that ready-made baking powder is used instead of make-your-won with bicarb+cream of tartar. I prefer baking powder, as the sodium bicarbonate adds a funny flavour to my taste buds. We make them with saskatoons or blueberries cooked right in in the summer for breakfast while camping over a fire.

It is interesting how many names pancakes have, and how many things people call pancakes. Do we all agree what a waffle is I wonder?

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

"Waffle" is what certain clergymen do ... [Snigger]

I'll get my coat.

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