Grandad Swenson’s Pancakes
I remember blearily waking in the toe-biting chill of August, a very young girl, overjoyed to be treated to a warm birthday breakfast. There was nothing more special than to be sat at the head of our little dining table, pink ugg boots and dressing gown donned, and be the first person served.
Dad would be dressed ready to leave for milking, huge winter coat over jeans and a flannelette shirt, ready to greet me with a cow-scented hug. Mum flurried about in our tiny kitchen, stirring this while prepping that, never too busy for me to cling to her like a carpet python, shivering in the cold. Harry – budding chef that he was – eagerly did his part, stopping every now and then to watch the cartoons on the TV with me.
All of this early morning hustle and bustle – chairs scraping against the wooden floor, the green smell of parsley being chopped, little bursts of oil as bacon hissed in a pan – was a labour of love. It is as special to me now as it was then.
The big breakfast, as it was always known to us, was a mouthwatering selection of scrambled eggs, bacon, croissants, orange juice, and – my eternal favourite – Grandad Swenson’s pancakes. These were, without fail, accompanied by a very generous serving of freshly whipped cream (especially if Nana was in the house…), whatever fruit we had on hand, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Over the years, good food has been a staple in our household. More than that, though, it has been a way to celebrate the important things in life. Birthdays. Christmas. A gathering of our nearest and dearest. Although I’m not considered a chef in this household, my memories associated with food will forever have a special place in my heart.
Georgia
Ingredients
1 cup SR flour
2 tablespoons raw caster sugar
1 egg – Tommy’s Pastured Eggs
1/4 teaspoon bi-carb soda
1 cup Jersey Girl cultured buttermilk OR 1 cup Farmer Dave’s Cream Top Milk with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar added
50 grams melted butter
Method
Combine flour, sugar, bi-carb soda, buttermilk/milk, and egg with an electric hand mixer. As they come together, pour in the butter and mix on high speed until smooth.
Cook in an electric frypan on medium heat. You want the pan to sizzle slightly as the mixture is dropped in. Keep the spoon in once place as you let the mixture fall – it makes an even surface on the pancake as it cooks. Wait until bubbles appear and start to burst, then flip over and cook the other side until golden. I use a very large spoon, much like a salad server as my measure for each pancake.