Pancakes were one of the first things I learned to make. Mr. Byron taught us in the third grade. He used a coffee cup to measure with, and whipped up a batch on a griddle right there in the classroom. I guess I must have paid attention really well, because he gave me the first one of the grill. It was a bit more burnt than I might have liked, but it was also an honour, so I ate that bad boy proudly. For months after that I prepared pancakes for my parents on a regular basis. Lucky them.

This is clearly a bit before the third grade, but my face says that I am the pancake queen. Do not contest my power.

I’ve since moved on a little, using a different recipe (truthfully, I have no idea what his was anymore), and using a scale instead of a coffee cup. I love this recipe. It makes great, tender, thick pancakes, and holds up well to substitutions (buttermilk/sour milk/yoghurt thinned with milk). It also support add-ins, like blueberries, bananas, and/or chocolate chips, very well.

Pancakes aren’t hard to make, but a few little tips can improve things quite a bit. First, make sure your griddle is the right temperature. You’re looking for a medium-high sort of range. To test, flick a few drops of water onto the grill. They should dance around a bit before evaporating away. Second, make a test pancake. And then eat it, because you’re the chef and it’s your right. Third, measure properly and don’t over-beat your batter. And lastly, turn your pancakes when bubbles start to pop on the top of the pancake. The tops should still be wet looking when you flip them—that way you’ll get another rise when you flip them, ensuring extra-fluffy pancakes.

This little guy joined me during my pancake-making session.

With a fresh batch of lemon curd on hand, I knew these pancakes had to be blueberry ones, as blueberries and lemons go together beautifully.

Blueberry Pancakes

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda (USA / Canada)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter, melted & cooled
1 egg, lightly beaten
1¼ cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 cup blueberries
Oil or butter, for the grill

Get your grill heating to medium-high. If it’s anything like mine, it’ll take a while.

Mix everything but the blueberries together in a bowl, taking care not to over-mix. There will be some lumps. That’s ok. Let the batter sit for a few minutes.

Test the griddle by flicking some water onto it. If the drops skitter around a bit before evaporating, you’re good to go.

Grease your grill and make a test pancake. Right after pouring the batter onto the griddle, sprinkle some blueberries onto the top. Flip when bubbles start to pop through the top, but while the top is still dry.

If the test pancake is acceptable, continue with the rest of them.

Serve with lemon curd or maple syrup.

What are your favourite pancake add-ins/toppings? Remember, every post you comment on is an entry in the monthly draw!