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Potempa: National Pancake Day inspires flapjack creativity

Next week, National Pancake Day will be celebrated Saturday, Sept. 26.

Just as in my youth, pancakes are still an occasional weekend farm breakfast enjoyed by my family on Saturdays.

When I think of pancakes, memories of the late Eva Gabor’s New York socialite character Lisa Douglas on TV’s homespun rural sitcom “Green Acres” immediately come to mind. She never knew the art of cooking to appease her lawyer-turned-farmer husband, played by Eddie Albert. But she did try her best to make pancakes, or “hotcakes,” the term she referred to them as in her thick Hungarian accent.

During the course of six seasons, from 1965 through 1971, Albert, as his Oliver Douglas character, used his wife’s rubbery pancakes to shingle the roof of their run-down farmhouse to patch a leak, as well as using them as a sink and bathtub stopper, for playing horseshoes, repairing his truck and for patching up holes in tractor tires.

Whether called “griddlecakes” or “Johnnycakes,” pancakes share a common history origin in America, dating back to the early 1600s when Native Americans introduced them to European settlers. Pancakes became a favorite menu item in America and in Europe by the 1700s, primarily because they offered an ideal “meatless” menu option for Lenten meals.

Leigh Uhlir, associate dean at Kendall College in Chicago, serves as the Kendall College program director of culinary arts and hospitality management at National Louis University, the same place where she earned an associate of applied science in culinary arts and a bachelor of arts in hospitality and culinary management. During the course of her professional career, she has also worked for the nation’s leading hospitality companies and restaurants ranging from the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago and Lettuce Entertain You’s Las Vegas division. She shared with me what she believes is the key to making the perfect pancake.

“At a culinary school, we always follow the basics and use fresh ingredients,” Uhlir said.

“Some may call these tricks, but we call it pancake science. Always mix dry and wet ingredients separately, and then combine together, and don’t overmix. Let your pancake batter rest, since this equalizes the moisture and lets air into the batter. And always cook on medium-hot, a well- oiled griddle.”

Chef Lance Knowling, of Millburn, New Jersey, is a Kansas City native and restauranteur whose talents have been highlighted on The Food Network. His recipe for sweet potato pancakes have become one of his signature requests, which includes the secret ingredient of maple syrup infused with Kentucky bourbon, with his favorite from the shelf being Four Roses. In recent months, he’s started a cookbook project as well as a home meal delivery service called Lance@Home.

“I don’t know the science behind it, but maple and bourbon go so well together,” Knowling said.

“I believe it to be the process of storing bourbon in oak barrels and how that blends with maple sap. Maple, vanilla, bourbon, and butter go so great together as buttery, sugary, and savory flavors. And there is also the richness and natural sweetness of bourbons that lend themselves with the flavor of maple.”

Ositos Tap, 2553 South Ridgeway Ave. in Chicago, and mixologist Tim McCafferty dreamed up their own “breakfast cocktail,” called the Maple Stax, for next weekend’s celebration toast for National Pancake Day. Not only is it bourbon and maple syrup based, this month’s cocktail specialty uses egg whites, vanilla, dates and mint for the unusual and delicious ingredients.

Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Four Roses Bourbon-Maple Syrup

Serves 6

Pancake batter:

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup cooked sweet potato or yam (roasted till soft and peeled, do not boil)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Syrup:

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup Four Roses Bourbon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk together.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sweet potato, egg and butter.

3. Add flour mixture to sweet potato mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet.

4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. For each pancake pour about 3 ouces of batter onto the griddle and cook until both sides are lightly browned.

5. To make syrup, in a small saucepan, bring maple syrup and bourbon to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add vanilla and serve warm over pancakes.