American Breakfast for Europeans

After feasting on Dutch pancakes in Amsterdam, I decided it was time to show Europeans what an American breakfast looked like. This was the first of my cooking escapades in Amsterdam, where I had to please the palates of many; mostly Europeans. I decided to bring pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and potatoes to the table.

Everyone was impressed. I was complimented especially on the pancakes, being asked, “How did you get them so fluffy??” Before I left Amsterdam to head back to the states, Sara (from Spain) asked me to teach her how to make pancakes. She purchased a mix from Aunt Jemima, to which I recoiled. I instructed her how to make pancakes the way my mom made them: from scratch.

Sara asked for my mom’s recipe, to which my mom dug from a pile of newspaper clippings. She pulled out a recipe to Bette’s Diner buttermilk pancakes (Bette’s Diner is a delicious restaurant/diner in Berkeley); apparently she traded in her Joy of Cooking pancake recipe in a few years ago.

But here it is: Bette’s Diner buttermilk pancakes, converted to grams and instructions edited.

Bette’s Diner Buttermilk Pancakes
2 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
2 eggs
2 cups (473 ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, buttermilk, milk and butter. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring to blend.
2. The batter should be quite lumpy and thick. Let the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Portion 1/4 cup (60 ml) measures of batter onto the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles cover the surface of the pancakes and their undersides are lightly browned.
4. Gently turn them over and cook for about 2 minutes more, until other sides are browned.

Note: Yoghurt is a possible substitute for the buttermilk.