Becca Week: Saint Pancake

Hello readers,

I would like to wish you all a happy and blessed Saint Pancake <3

No, I haven't just lost my mind. Today is a very special day: it is Saint Pancake! 

Yaaaay Saint Pancake! :D

Ok, I admit, this isn't an 'official' holiday. But who doesn't want a holiday which is all about pancakes? I know I do! 

The first time I heard about Saint Pancake was when I was about 11. My godmother used to read these comic books called 'Jan, Jans en de kinderen' (Jack, Jackie and the kids), created by Jan Kruis. The comics contain funny stories about the family, the kids growing up, the father's job and more :) One special comic story, was about Saint Pancake. 

The story started with the grandfather preparing vegetables with one of the kids. The child didn't really feel like having the veggies, and so the grandfather sort of 'made up' the holiday Saint Pancake :) Which suppoingly 'originates' in Rotterdam, and is very 'traditionally' celebrated on November 29. When father comes home from a long day at work, everybody in the family puts a pancake on their head and wishes father a "happy and blessed Saint Pancake". 

Many thanks to Jan Kruis for creating this lovely Holiday :) 

Don't you just love this story and picture? :D And ever since, me and my family have also celebrated Saint Pancake! 

Pancakes come in many many MANY forms and flavours. There are regular pancakes, french crêpes, thick American pancakes, Russian blini's, Japanese okonomiyani's, you can eat them with fruits, chocolate, vegetables, bacon, honey, whipped cream, mushrooms, cheese, ham, maple syrup..!

I love maple syrup <3<3

Basic pancakes contain only four ingredients: butter, milk, flour and salt. That's it. You can add flavours to choice, like sugar, vanilla, almond. You can decide to change the flour (make it gluten free, be sure to add some baking powder then too). The variations are limitless! Did you know that the recipe for pancakes dates back to the year 5 BC? Incredible, right?! 

My most successfull recipe contains 500 ml of milk, 2 large eggs (or 3 small ones), 200 grams of flour, a pinch of salt, and the seeds of 1 vanilla bean. Mix, mix, mix, melt some butter in the frying pan, fry 2-3 minutes on both sides and voila. 

It's commonly said that the first pancake always fails. Truth or false? FALSE. The reason why the first pancake always fails, is because your frying pan isn't hot enough. Make sure that, when you turn the heat on, you won't pour in the first batch right away. Leave the frying pan for a minute to get hot. You'll know it's hot enough when the butter sizzles right away. Continue as instructed and you'll always have a perfect first pancake.

Bon appetit :)

Time to round up this post and eat my pancakes :) See you soon!

Love love love love,

Rebecca