The Pancake Post!

I have to admit it.  Today I was stumped.  Completely.  March is a difficult month to write about fun and different food.  March is still Winter and not yet Spring.  It's cold, raw and there is still the potential for snow.  And so I started thinking about comfort.  It didn't take long for me to find some incredibly old pancake, griddle cake and waffle recipes in my collection that I thought would be fun to write about.  March is the perfect time for pancakes.  There are Lenten pancake breakfasts occurring throughout the month and this is also prime time for the tapping of Maple trees for syrup.  I can remember as a girl (perhaps at a Girl Scout event or maybe a school field trip) venturing into the woods to learn about maple syrup.  It was cold but we did get to sample some maple syrup and candy at the end.  To learn more about the complexities of maple syrup and it's historical significance click on this Wikipedia link. 

Most of us have good mental images of pancakes and waffles.  It's one of those childhood comfort foods that evokes good childhood memories.  Over 100 years ago, pancakes, waffles and griddle cakes were standard and frequent fare.  They offered a breakfast that filled you and provided enough nutrition and sustenance to get you through the day until lunch.  There wasn't much in the way of 'snacks' when food took so long to prepare.  Whatever you ate had to satisfy you and provide you with enough energy for the day ahead.  In the early 1900's we worked and walked a great deal more than we do today.  I know it's easy to buy ready made pancakes and waffles but maybe you could muster up some courage to try a homemade mix.  You might even add fun ingredients like chocolate chips or blueberries - find the authentic you and create fun shapes for your kids!  You don't have to follow the recipes below...we've come a long way and there are plenty of easy recipes out there.  The recipes below are offered as a glimpse into our past.  Take a good look.  Appreciate the time you don't have to spend in your kitchen!!

Waffles

1 qt. flour sifted, 1 Tbsp. salt, 1 Tbsp. melted butter, sweet milk enough to make a thick batter.  Mix thoroughly.  Add 2 well beaten eggs, 2 teaspoons baking powder.  Stir well and bake in well greased waffle irons.  Two tablespoons sugar may be added.

Here is a 2nd recipe!

Waffles

Mix and sift one and three quarters cupfuls of flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one half teaspoonful of salt.  Add one cupful of milk gradually to the dry mixture, then the yolks of two eggs well beaten, one tablespoonful of melted butter and finally the well beaten whites of the two eggs.  The waffle iron should be thoroughly heated on one side, turned, heated and thoroughly greased.



Griddle Cakes

Sift three cupfuls of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one teaspoonful of salt together; pour in the beaten yolk of an egg to which three cupfuls of milk have been added; beat the mixture thoroughly and fold in the beaten white of an egg, lastly adding two tablepoons of melted butter.

Sour Milk Pancakes

Soak 2 cups oatmeal in 1 and a 1/2 cups sour milk over night.  In the morning add:

1 beaten egg
1 scant cup of sugar
1 dessert spoon butter
salt and 1 cup wheat flour
1 teaspoon soda

Postum Syrup

2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Postum
1 cup boiling water

Dissolve Postum in boiling water, add sugar and boil 1 minute.  Cool without stirring.

I found this interesting information on Postum from Wikipedia.  Below is a 1910 ad for this hot beverage product that was introduced in the late 1800's but hit it's stride during WWII when rationing severely limited access to coffee.  Who knew.  Now...you do!