This past summer, our family retreated to Lake Michigan for our annual holiday. We looked forward to seeing life-long friends, sailing on Little Traverse Bay, hiking down to watch the sunset at 9:30 p.m. and going to our favorite breakfast joint for pancakes. When we discovered Park Place had closed, we cried, collected ourselves then turned to the trusty New York Times cooking app (always dependable) for recipes. After trying a few, we landed on this one and added blueberries because in northern Michigan in August, you must. Make a few extra and take to a neighbor who lives alone!
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt (important)
2 ½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup fresh blueberries (frozen, in a pinch)
Vegetable, canola or coconut oil for the pan
Heat the oven to 325 degrees
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt together in a bowl. Using the whisk, make a well in the center. Pour the buttermilk into the well and crack eggs into buttermilk. Pour the melted butter into the mixture. Starting in the center, whisk everything together, moving towards the outside of the bowl, until all ingredients are incorporated. Do not overbeat (lumps are fine). The batter can be refrigerated for up to one hour. (Put a dinner plate on top of the bowl and avoid plastic!)
Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet, preferably cast-iron, over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Turn heat up to medium–low. Use an ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup and spoon batter into pan. Dot each pancake liberally with berries. Flip pancakes after bubbles rise to surface and bottoms brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Cook until the other sides are lightly browned. Remove pancakes to a wire rack set inside an oven-proof pan, and keep in heated oven until all the batter is cooked and you are ready to serve. Warm syrup in a small saucepan. Serve with hot coffee and your favorite magazine (hint, hint).