Finally F&%#ing Pancakes!

Happy New Year’s Day!

I’ve been to Austin, New Orleans and NYC for New Year’s Eve to name a few places. I’m no stranger to ringing in the New Year with full force. However, most of the time, I just don’t want the stress of picking something “cool” and “exciting” and worthy of ushering in an entire year. I’m sorry Pittsburgh, but I’m just not enticed. For 2011, I wanted something fancy without all the coordinating, the expense and the inevitable disappointment.

Instead of hitting the town, I put on my lipstick, high heels and little black dress and went to my dining room! That dashing carpenter and I dined on brisket, roasted potatoes, boozy pears and plenty of red wine. It was fabulous and filling, and then I fell asleep! Ha! I woke up or was woken up just in time to hear the countdown from my laptop and kiss that gentleman friend right as we entered a new year. Happy 2011!

At a relatively early hour on New Year’s Day, I naturally had more energy than most party goers, so some of that energy reserve went into a brunch effort!

In my

book, it’s not a proper brunch without a sweeter element, and on this sunny morn, I really wanted pancakes. Seems simple enough, but let me admit something: for all the delicious baked goods I am capable of making, I have some sort of pancake disability. I’ve made some successful tasting pancakes but I usually face the normal obstacles- how to keep a whole bunch of pancakes warm while working to the end of the batter, patience as the bubbles form, that whole flipping element, etc. I just can’t put a pancake breakfast on the table like my mom can. Her secret is probably in the fact that she finally eats a pancake long after all of us. Such a saintly hostess. I’m not willing to go that route just yet.

My last pancake experience was truly a nightmare. I made an especially grainy batter, a far too grainy batter, a batter so grainy and heavy it just stuck to the pan and looked gritty. I ended up throwing out the batter and throwing the dirty pots into the sink in a tantrum. Why couldn’t I do it?!? College boys who live off box macaroni ‘n cheese and excessively full bowls of cereal are capable of a perfectly flipped pancake. Why was I cursed?!?

A New Year and a new start! I used a special reserved pancake mix from Saint Vincent Gristmill, swirled butter around my skillet and willed good things to occur.

The fixings were ready and waiting: local Amish butter, toasted walnuts, an extra reserve of pure maple syrup and extra boozy pears from our New Year’s Eve meal.