Monday, December 8, 2008

Apple Pancakes

A while back I suggested we all find a survivor of the last Depression and use them as a guide to getting us through this one. I warned you that, given projected lifespans and the accuracy of actuarial tables, this could be tough to accomplish.

Well, not wanting to leave you high and dry, Crabby has come up with another solution. Find someone who was a teenager during "The Big One", you know W - W - I - I. Those folks had to do more with less than just about any other generation.

Thankfully we here in the Crab Universe have our own in-house expert. Crabby's mom, the Boonsta, after nearly 45 years of living on the East Coast, has taken up residence in Crabby Palace.

The Boonsta's credentials as a food stretcher? Back in the 30's and 40's, she was a teenager living in the "old country". She's got plenty of harrowing stories about trying to survive in a war ravaged country. So, while her move to the American Midwest from the East Coast was traumatic, at least this time she wasn't being chased by a Russian tank.


From time to time I'll be sharing some of the Boonsta's recipes. These "recipes" are born of experience; you won't find them written down anywhere. You made do with what you had, and when you didn't have, you figured something out. It's why there are lots "abouts" in her recipes (about a tablespoon, about a teaspoon if you have any). Things aren't that bad here, yet. But a little preparation can never hurt.

So here's a breakfast staple from Crabby's youth. An apple, an egg, a little flour, a splash of milk, enjoy...


Apple Pancakes
by Boonsta
makes 8 small pancakes

1 egg
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
3 heaping TBSP flour
1 Apple, peeled & cored, preferably Granny Smith or Cortland
Vegetable oil for frying


Using a fork or small whisk, beat egg with sugar in a medium bowl. Mix in the milk and then the flour.

Coarsely grate the peeled and cored apple. Add the apple to the batter mixture.

You are looking for a thick but pourable consistency, so adjust the flour and milk accordingly.

In a large saute pan, heat about 1/8" worth of oil over medium heat. When hot, add a large tablespoon of the batter mixture and gently fry until golden brown, turning once, approximately 5 - 7 minutes total cooking time.

Allow to cool slightly and serve with fruit preserves or jam.


That's it. A nice twist to the normal pancakes and syrup breakfast. You'd have to pay big money at some fancy hotel in Europe for this flavor. But it takes a lot less cash and time to get it "homemade" at home.

Alright, next time I'm going to post a dessert recipe that would be great for Christmas Eve dinner. I'll warn you though, like all desserts, it's a bit involved, but not too bad. Just remember, you can do it, you can cook.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the thought of this recipe -- can't wait to try it. And you may have a hard Crabby exterior, but I can tell you're soft and squishy inside, as evidenced by your "good son" qualities. The spouse must be pretty good too, to take in a mother-in-law.

WineWizardBob said...

Peanut butter goes with jelly, bacon goes with eggs and Rieslings go with apple anythings.

For this pancake, I would serve a Riesling from the Rhine not the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region. The MSR Rieslings are more minerally, the Rhines are rounder. I also want a bit of sweetness with my Riesling so I would pick either a Spatlese or Auslese level. Spatlese is like getting a cup of coffee-regular while the Auslese is one or two sugars more than the Spatlese.

Anonymous said...

This recipe is almost identical to the one my Mom used in the 40's. I loved them. She would sprinkle sugar mixed with cinnamon on top when they were done. Mom was first generation American and of Austrian/Hungarian decent.

Anonymous said...

Ok, I know this is an older post, but I always go to both the breakfast, and the cookie archives of a new (to me) blog. These are exactly what I have been looking for. My great Aunt imigrated from Poland and lived in America through the depression and WWII. When I was growing up, she made these for us all of the time and I have long since looked for a duplicate. Now all I need is my Aunt's Swedish Meatball recipe... haven't found one close yet... Thanks! I am enjoying the site!

Ninette said...

I love the heading of your blog. It's adorable and creative! Greedy Gourmand posted a pic of your pancaked on tastespotting, and I happen to have one Granny Smith apple and was thinking what I would make for breakfast. This is the ticket!

Anonymous said...

I had never heard of "Ceylon Cinnamon" until I found it at an online called Juliet Mae Spices. It is so much better than any other cinnamon I have ever had. It goes great with apple fritters! With Ceylon Cinnamon, I rule the kitchen. Really, this stuff is worth checking out.Yea, Juliet Mae Spices.