A few weeks ago, morale was low. Mercury was in retrograde (Trust me. You felt it). School was about to start. Target was a madhouse. The 43 and the 5 were packed with Muni police and students. Overall the vibes were bad. Amidst my start-of-school-sorrows, I decided to throw a pancake party for my friends and I to get us ready to take on the first week of classes.
Growing up, my mom always made us cinnamon rolls and bacon for our first day of school breakfast. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of cinnamon rolls (don't tell my mom), I still appreciated the effort put into cracking the roll open and trying to make sure we started our first day's in a good mood.
PANCAKE PARTY BY ANAYA WATKINS
So let's get into the Pancake Party:
There are two parts to any good party: the vibes and the event. The vibes of this were so girl apartment, academic success, and the power of friendship. The event itself was all about eating pancakes and making sure we memorized each other's schedules so that we could bother each other every moment of the day. Here's how to have the best Pancake Party so that even if it's just you and your roommate making pancakes in the Fromm kitchen (we've all been there) or you’re hosting the brunch to end all brunches, you are guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face and possibly leftovers.
To Create the Vibes:
Round up the gang. Set the date and time so everyone can have something to look forward to. Even the friend who always brings napkins.
Pick a theme. Head to Pinterest and get some inspo so you get excited. Light some candles. Curate a playlist. Do whatever you need to curate the proper pancake-eating environment.
Fight the Target crowds to get paper plates and plastic silverware. (Thank me later when there aren't any dishes to clean.)
Get cookin! The best way to make sure you have a good time at your party is to do all of the laborious work in advance. Make the compote and batter a day before, put the freshly made pancakes in the oven to keep warm until its party time, put out the plastic ware and syrup before guests arrive.
Step away from the kitchen and enjoy your guests! Sit down and eat the fruits of your labor.
Send leftovers with your guests so that they can pop them in their toasters for an after lunch snack.
Disclaimer: I don't like pancakes with things in them. It's a textural nightmare. But if you want to throw the blueberries in the pancakes, that's your prerogative. Enjoy the nasty burnt sugary mess. It's your pan, not mine.
Best Pancake Recipe Ever:
Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
big pinch o salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
splash of vanilla or dollop of vanilla bean paste (I measure with my heart)
1.5 - 2 cups milk (use real milk please. I promise it won't hurt your stomach.)
2 tablespoons of melted and cooled butter
Instructions:
Mix dry ingredients together in a larger bowl.
Mix eggs, milk, and vanilla together in a smaller bowl. (this tempers the eggs so that when you add your butter there isn't a chance that you accidentally scramble them)
Add melted and cooled butter to the milk mixture.
Add the wet to the dry and stir gently until it all comes together. It's ok if there are some small lumps but make sure it’s all incorporated.
Heat the pan to medium low heat. I don't use oil or anything because then it can get too hot and ruin/burn my gorgeous pancakes. (Don't burn the pancakes your friends will hate you.)
Drop in about 1/4 cup of batter at a time. I do one pancake at a time because I don't like flipping more than one pancake in a pan, it gets crazy for some reason.
Cook on one side until hella air bubbles come up and pop.
FLIP CAREFULLY and cook until that side is cooked. Just keep an eye on it. I trust you can tell when a pancake is cooked through
Slap with butter immediately after you take it out of the pan.
Serve immediately or throw them on a lined pan in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.
I doubled this recipe for my group of 8 friends and there was enough for everyone and some extra!
Blueberry Compote:
This is how I make all of my fruit compotes. I measure with my heart for the most part but taste it and make sure it’s how you want it. I doubled this (used 2 bags of frozen fruit) for my party.
Ingredients:
1 bag of frozen Trader Joe's Wild Blueberries
Splash of the Trader Joe's Vermont Maple Syrup
Instructions:
Throw a bag of frozen fruit into a small pot with a lid.
Add a splash of maple syrup. Be careful not to go crazy with the syrup so it doesn't burn on the bottom and it doesn't get too sweet. The best compotes are super fruity and not super sugary.
Watch that like a hawk. The berries will start to defrost and cook down. it will release water as the ice melts and that will evaporate and make the syrup.
Don't burn it!
Take it off the heat when it's cooked down and kind of syrupy. It will get thicker as it cools. Serve with pancakes, in yogurt, on toast, or in coffee/matcha.
Once you master the compote you can do this with all sorts of frozen fruits. Experiment with adding herbs like mint or rosemary to the mixture for a little razzle-dazzle. Just take out the herbs before serving.