How To Make Delicious Savory Pancakes,

I used to think of the common pancake as smothered in syrup or eaten with fruits, chocolate, jam or confectioners sugar. Recently, I decided to try something new- savory pancakes. I got this idea, from my friend, who was serving delicious savory pancakes on one of her birthday parties. Encouraged by the great taste of savory pancakes, I wanted to find the recipe which suits my tastes the best.

I find this recipe quite easy to make and to customize. These tasty savory pancakes are perfect at any time of day. Moreover, they are nutritious. The batter is made of eggs, milk, flour and baking powder. I added some carrots, zucchini and scallions to my pancakes, but you can add any type of vegetable to your savory pancakes.

Remember that some vegetables have to be cooked first. Take another bowl and whisk the egg and milk. Then, stir the carrots, scallions and zucchini to the milk mix. Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and combine thoroughly. Take a large skillet over medium heat and add one tablespoon of oil.

When the oil is hot enough, spoon the batter onto the pan. Use about 1/3 cup of batter of each pancake. Cook pancake for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Put the pancakes on the plate and let them cool down for a while. When they are ready to eat, roll them up. Serve pancakes with a sour cream for a better taste.

At Over Easy in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood, a bit of trial and error was involved in developing the pancake batter, says co-owner Gwyneth Nordine. Before opening in March 2006, Nordine and her husband, Jon Cignarale, went through a lot of batter before landing on a recipe the couple felt was light and fluffy enough - with just the right amount of sweetness.

Making the perfect pancake, says Nordine, requires a bit of understanding of the science involved. “It’s about chemistry and not just a flavor profile,” she says. One of the secrets, says Nordine, is using the correct leavening. “Baking soda reacts with acids. If you don’t have an acid like brown sugar or buttermilk in your pancakes, it won’t work if you use baking soda.” That’s where baking powder takes over.

Over Easy has four kinds of specialty pancakes on its menu. Blueberry Crunch is Nordine’s personal favorite. Another recipe that made it onto the Over Easy menu is one that Nordine says is a childhood favorite. As a kid, Nordine says she stared crumbling bacon over her pancakes until her mother finally said ‘How about if I do that for you, sweetheart,

’” After that, “my mom would always make two different batches one with bacon for me and one plain for my sister,” she says. At Batter & Berries in Lincoln Park, pancakes were part of the courting ritual for the restaurant’s husband-and-wife owners. Craig Richardson says going out for breakfast became a “hobby” when he was dating Tonya Reeves.

“We went out and tried a lot of different restaurants in Chicago. And one day she came home and said, ‘Hey, we should open a breakfast restaurant.’” Dr. Tanya Reeves-Richardson is now a family medicine physician in Chicago while her husband runs the restaurant they co-founded. The best seller is a “nice fluffy pancake” topped with berries to justify the eatery’s name. Richardson says they’re served with a maple butter that often replaces the syrup for many customers.

Batter & Berries head chef Ken L. Polk also developed a gluten-free buckwheat pancake that he says required some “intense” research and development. “It’s for people who want something heartier,” says Polk. As for making the perfect pancake, Polk gives the same advice that Nordine does: after combining the eggs and milk with the dry ingredients, don’t over mix! And then let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes before hitting the skillet. From there, the creativity is up to the cook.

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