Heart-Healthy Pancakes with Syrup Rank #1 in Poll

Pancakes with Syrup Rank #1

in

Breakfast Poll

By Cal Orey

He who goes to bed hungry dreams of pancakes.

--Proverb

The heatwave is over...Lake Tahoe is finally having a thunderstorm and the smell of fresh rain lingers this Wednesday afternoon in my living room. The next best scent may just be hot pancakes ... Speaking of pancakes, The Writing Gourmet breakfast poll results are in. Question: Do your prefer pancakes or waffles?


A) Pancakes with syrup


B) Waffles with syrup


C) Both with fruit


D) I'll pass, eggs are my thing


Results: 41% pancakes with syrup; 33% waffles with syrup; 25% both with fruit; 0% eggs

I'm surprised a little bit. I surely thought Belgian waffles would be the winner. Not so much. So, I'm thinking why pancakes? I go straight to wikipedia and it's amazing how versatile and popular pancakes aka "hotcakes" and "flapjacks" are in American and around the globe.

Next thing I know, I start getting images of pancakes cooked up in movies and on TV. Recently, I was watching a competition of chefs making the best breakfast. One chose pancakes and he got frustrated when the first batch didn't turn out perfectly. Tossed it. It slowed him down (they must cook by the ticking clock) and his mistake affected his overall presentation. Yes, there is an art to making the perfect pancake. And romantic? Oh yeah. Last week I watched that edgy program (again) "Nurse Jackie" and a young woman mentioned how her boyfriend made her pancakes in the a.m. When the nurse returned home her husband was whipping up hotcakes for dinner. The film "Something's Gotta Give"? Both Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton wanted to share homemade pancakes for a late night snack. It was a sweet loving gesture but it didn't pan out (pun intended).

So, here I sit thinking simple pancakes sprinkled with confectioner's sugar drizzled with gourmet maple syrup is the way to go. Teamed with orange juice, and a cup of French brew with a big, big splash of organic 2% low-fat milk is a super breakfast--solo, with a mate or family. Tomorrow morning I'll prepare Oat Bran pancakes complete mix --just add water. Yep, these puppies contain no trans fat, are a good source of protein, calcium, and iron. Plus, the box notes you can substitute two tablespoons water with two tablespoons honey. (How cool is that?) And syrup? It's the pricey real gourmet maple syrup I use and recommend using. It's worth it. Once you try it you can't go back to the cheap or generic stuff. It will make you want to move to Vermont (or wherever the syrup makers make their stuff).
One more thing. I use a taste of olive oil (yes, I love Sciabica's oil) in the frying pan so I won't look disgruntled and flustered like the chef on Food Network. I don't want the first pancake or last one to stick to the pan. Lastly, I can see why teaming hotcakes with syrup, juice, and fine coffee--is a winner to start off the day, night or as an afternoon delight. (All this pancake chat has got me thinking French crepes...)