Wednesday 28 February 2007
Pancake Day
My search for a basic pancake recipe inevitably brings me to Delia. This is for many reasons but mostly because she's one of only a small handful of chefs I know and lets face it, her name is easier to type into Google than Ainsley Harriott. Either way, she is a good Christian and therefore must know how to make them.
Here's the recipe so you don't have to do the Google search yourself.
Ingredients
For the pancake mixture:
110g/4oz plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water
50g/2oz butter
To serve:
caster sugar
lemon juice
lemon wedges
I probably should copy and paste the method but thought I might spare you the hassle of reading it. She goes on for ages about how to "scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl" like I don't know how to use a spoon and I suddenly realise that I'm probably not all that bad in the kitchen considering that she's had to write out some blindingly obvious instructions. In a nutshell you mix everything together save the butter as that's what you're going to fry the things in, then serve with lemon juice and sugar. Or at least that's probably what she (and most Christians) eats theirs with. But seeing as I've already killed someone this morning, I might as well top my pancakes with something a bit more glamorous.
I had *hoped* to use that nice Marks and Spencer maple syrup my aunt had given me for Christmas. I could even picture it hiding at the back of my cupboard. But after searching for ten minutes, I then realise that the cupboard I had pictured that stupid bottle of syrup hiding in is actually my boyfriends cupboard and the aunt who, knowing I was into cooking had so thoughtfully bought it for me, is indeed my boyfriends aunt. Upon realising this, it then occurs to me what a thoughtless present it is to give my boyfriend. He'd probably be just as happy with a bottle of ketchup. At least he'd know what to do with that. Stupid aunt. Still, she's not *my* stupid aunt. Not that my stupid aunts could even be bothered with a Christmas card this year let alone a thoughtless bottle of Marks and Spencer maple syrup. Never mind. My focus returns to making pancakes after spying a tin of golden syrup behind the flour.
Today is also the first day I've had good reason to use my tawah. Its an Indian frying pan but without the edges so not good for say, Spanish omelette's, but very good for pancakes. Oh and it's pronounced 'tuva'.
Using the tawah fills me with a sense of competence as I effortlessly toss the pancakes in the air. Its size and lipless edges are perfect for making the pancakes and I am genuinely amazed that some celebrity chef hasn't coined on to the design, re-marketed them as 'Pancake Makers' and started selling them in John Lewis in a range of trendy colours for £65.
The finished product is enjoyed thoroughly with a drizzling or in my case, drowning of golden syrup. Points deducted for burning my mouth, even though that's my fault - have to blame something, don't I?
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