Instructions
I don’t mean to eavesdrop, in fact most of the time I’m more than happy to pass my day in blissful ignorance of the world around me. But there are times when nearby conversations are conducted at such a volume as to make them impossible to ignore.
Such a chat was foisted upon me the other morning as I sat at my local, while the stereo was playing the Beatles softly in the background.
Woman 1: “Nancy, I ordered hotcakes, and these are pancakes.”
Woman 2: “No they’re not Sue, they’re flapjacks.”
Woman 1: “Well, I’m sending them back.”
Woman 2: “Oh Sue, please don’t cause a scene……..”
Too late! Boy did I pity the charming girl who was serving them – she copped an earful.
But it did provoke a line of thought, what is the difference between pancakes, flapjacks, hot cakes and pikelets? Are there distinctions, or are these just interchangeable names for the same product?
As it turns out, they are a band of batters that are cooked gently in pans or on a griddle, but each has its own character and recipe.
Pancakes are the thinnest of the lot, and traditionally are made with a straight batter – whisked eggs, milk, oil, sugar and flour, fried gently until just set on both sides. They’re the George Harrison of breakfast flips.
A flapjack is similar, but with more flour added so that the batter is thicker, and the resulting cake rises taller. You’ll need to add extra baking powder to a flapjack batter so it doesn’t become too dense. Ringo Star anyone?
Pikelets are a small pancake, but one whose batter has been beaten well – this gives them a slightly chewy texture that soaks up honey and cream perfectly. They’re delicate and sweet – kind of like Paul McCartney before he got old and weird.
The hotcake is the sophisticated member of the group – John Lennon of course – whose eggs have been separated and the whites whipped until light. It’s a bit more work and a tad intellectual for breakfast, but this gives them a surprisingly fluffy texture that lingers briefly, before finishing all too soon.
So no matter how you like to fry, there’s a breakfast cake for you, just the thing after a Hard Day’s Night.
Ricotta hotcakes with tropical lychee salad