Delicious Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe

I have chosen The Gift of Southern Cooking, copyright 2003, from my cookbook collection for today's post. This is one of those cookbooks you can enjoy reading as much as trying the recipes. It is written by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock, both well-known and accomplished Southern cooks. The unique component of this cookbook is Edna's specialty for Virginia country cooking and Scott's inventive blending of new tastes with the Alabama foods he grew up on, liberally seasoned with Native American, Caribbean, and African influences. The result is an entertaining and wonderful collection of Southern cuisine.

Even the table of contents is creative, with chapter titles such as "Welcome to the Southern Table", "Sweet and Sharp - from Coleslaw to Caveach", "Come Evening, It's Suppertime", and "It Doesn't Have to be Fancy." Are you wondering what "caveach" is? So was I! It is a cold fish salad. The original recipe came from a hundred year old cookbook which Edna and Scott updated. The recipe is on page 72 of the cookbook.

I rarely make pancakes for breakfast. But when I ran across their recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes, I caved in! Folks, these pancakes are to die for!

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
unsalted butter to grease the skillet

Put the flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and whisk briefly to blend. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg and then add the melted butter. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is well blended and there are no large lumps.

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and grease lightly with a little butter. Spoon out batter onto hot griddle for each pancake and cook until bubbles appear on top. Flip the pancakes and cook 30 seconds longer.

Serve hot with lots of butter and heated syrup.