Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and brunch is even better because it's like breakfast on steroids. A day on which brunch is eaten is almost always a good day because it means you've likely slept in, had a lazy morning, and probably don't have much else you have to do for the rest of the day. It's even socially acceptable to have a little late-morning/early-afternoon booze. A day with brunch is usually a day taken slowly and savored. I for one say we need more days with brunches.
When I'm looking for alternatives to my usual first-meal-of-the-day fare, I often find inspiration in Southern-style cuisine. Buttery grits with lots of milk, salt, and pepper make a satisfying breakfast when I need a break from oatmeal and want to start my day with something savory rather than sweet. But brunch demands something sweet. On that note, here is a recipe for corn meal pancakes, which are also known as johnnycakes. They offer a slight twist on the usual pancake: the corn meal makes them a little heartier and more likely to "stick to your ribs" and keep you full longer. I call them Uptown pancakes because they reflect the Southern influence in this North side Chicago neighborhood. From the 1930s until the late 1960s, a large number of poor white migrants from the South, especially the Appalachian region, settled in Uptown in search of work and a better life. A number of honky-tonk bars opened up in the area, and Uptown earned the nickname "Hillbilly Heaven" during this time. You can read more about the history of Uptown here.
Like regular pancakes, johnnycakes are good with maple syrup (see last week's blog post for my treatise on maple syrup) or jam. Also, I just like saying "johnnycakes". I have a nephew named Johnny who is a bit of a foodie himself and I think he would appreciate this recipe. He has been known to say that good food is "good for the soul," and I couldn't agree more. I recommend having a mimosa (half orange juice half champagne) or some other brunchy cocktail with the johnnycakes to give a nod to Uptown's other past life as a hip and happening nightlife destination during the Roaring Twenties.
Uptown Pancakes (aka Johnnycakes)
Serves 2-3 folks who are fixin' to eat
*Based heavily on Diana Rattray's recipe for corn meal johnnycakes as posted on The Spruce Eats blog
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. milk
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. flour
1 c. corn meal
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
Instructions:
In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter to a simmer. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the hot milk mixture and blend with a wooden spoon. (I personally love using wooden spoons because it makes me feel "old fashioned.") In a separate, small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Whisk the beaten egg in with the rest of the ingredients.
Use a 1/4 c. measuring cup to pour batter onto a hot, greased skilled. Fry until they're golden brown on both sides.
I am notoriously impatient when it comes to making pancakes but luckily I was able to make this recipe without undercooking the johnnycakes. As they say in one of my favorite movies, Beasts of the Southern Wild, "It's feed up time!"
Comments
Post a Comment