Gentle Reader, While I’m closeted writing a novel I hope you’ll enjoy reading, it’s been suggested I post pieces from earlier years … years when I was freshly widowed, living in or near L.A. with my dog, waiting for Bill to appear. Do please bear with me!
A View from 14 years ago: Tuesday, January 12, 2010
“The Best Ever” Sour Cream Blueberry Make-Ahead Pancakes
In my 1972 edition of “Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook” (one of my very most favorite cookbooks) is a recipe for Sour Cream/Blueberry Pancakes. Next to it my daughter Amanda (our family’s Princess of Baking) drew a star and wrote, “The best ever!” I’d forgotten about these pancakes partly because I forget to make pancakes on Sunday mornings (we’re currently big on popovers) and partly because I rarely have sour cream on hand. Well, last Sunday I had both a yen for pancakes and sour cream in the fridge.
They really are good…and what makes them outstanding is this end note: “If you have leftover batter, cover and store in the refrigerator. It will keep 2 or 3 days….” I did, and this morning, Tuesday, I whomped up another dozen for my breakfast. They were yummy.
What a treat to make the batter when you think of it on the weekend, then Sunday morning when you’re not yet awake, fire up the griddle and a few minutes later, scoop up a mountain of “the best ever” delicate berried pancakes. I like them topped with jam….
This makes about 30 2½-inch cakes.
1 cup unbleached flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
¼ cup sour cream (or ¼ cup yogurt and 1 more tablespoon melted butter*)
2 tablespoons melted butter
Heaping ½ cup blueberries or mixed berries, fresh or thawed frozen
In a medium-size bowl, use a fork to blend the dry ingredients. In a smallish bowl, beat together the egg, milk, and sour cream until blended. Add wets to dries and beat with a rotary beater until just smooth. Stir in the melted butter then the berries.
Bake immediately or cover and refrigerate, then stir to blend again before baking.
Bake as usual on a medium-hot buttered griddle by the 2-tablespoonsful.
Yes, there is no baking soda in this recipe, which surprises me, and yes, it is a lot of baking powder.
*You can also substitute soured milk (place 3/4 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice in a ¼ cup measure and fill with milk, wait a few moments for it to curdle) or buttermilk … remember to add the extra tablespoon of butter.
