cheddar & blueberry pancakes
The one food category I seem to feed more than any other is Saturday Morning Brunch. There’s just something about waking up a little early at the very onset of two days of pure relaxation, heading to the kitchen, and waking up everyone in the house with tantalizing and familiar smells. And I’ve found that breakfast just seems to have the most universal appeal to anyone from anywhere and of any food preference. It brings together picky eaters, the hungover, old folks after church, Norwegians . . . and just minor alterations to the standard fare can accommodate virtually anyone. Even vegans enjoy animal-free bacon and dieters eat egg-white omelets, and those of us who normally shirk breakfast will always take the time to enjoy one on a sunny Saturday morning.
But there is one breakfast delicacy so simple and omnipresent, I’m aghast with myself that I’ve neglected it until now. And that’s pancakes.
In an attempt toward rainbow cake fan service, I envisioned a colourful stack of multi-coloured pancakes sans-food dye, dyed only by the beauty of the fruits therein contained. Unfortunately, berries, with the exception of the blue variety, all seem to impart pancake batter with a dingy grey that is anything but inspiring. However, cheddar cheese makes for bright cheerful pancakes that are not savoury, but instead taste extra-buttery, making for a nice complement to the traditional blueberry. Also, though I’ve mentioned before that buttermilk pancakes are best, my favourite recipe by far is the standard regular old milk-and-all-purpose flour variety.
Anyone reading this has likely made pancakes, and I’ve included a recipe at the bottom for reference’s sake, but I think I’ll let the pictures, largely, speak for themselves. Except I need to tell you a secret, and you’re going to hate me for telling you because it’s such a guilty little secret, but . . . the best way to make your pancakes with crispy edges and fluffy insides is . . . shortening. Yes, a smidge of trans-fat-laden shortening in the pan does the trick admirably.
I’ll interrupt the silence here for just a moment: I’ve read a few places the best way to make blueberry pancakes is to put the blueberries on top of the batter once it’s in the pan to keep the whole batter from turning blue. I have no idea why anybody could look at this and not find it absolutely beautiful.
Moving along . . .
Repeat as desired.
And finally, the shot that made it all worth it. Aren’t these stripes giddily Dr. Seuss-like?
If you don’t want pancakes right now, I just plain don’t understand you (or you just ate, which is possible).
Blueberry & Cheddar Pancakes
adapted from The JOY of Cooking
1.5 c all-purpose flour
4 tbsp sugar
1.75 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1.5 c milk (whole, lowfat, skim, it’s your call)
3 tbsp melted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c shredded sharp cheddar OR 3/4 c frozen blueberries, thawed, pressed, with juice.
Whisk or sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk the milk, butter, eggs and vanilla, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix just until the flour is all moistened, then stir in cheddar or blueberries; let sit for 10-15 minutes if you can spare the time . . . it seems to make the pancakes a little fluffier.
Back to that deep dark secret, shortening, which, to reiterate, makes crispy edges whilst preserving the fluffy insides. You put a smidge, about a knifetip, in the pan between each batch and you won’t regret it. However, butter or cooking spray still does the job, though not as well.
Once the pan is hot from sitting on medium-high heat (7 for fellow gas-stovers out there), drop 1/4 c of batter for each cake. Flip when the bottom is toasty and the bubbles on top aren’t popping quite as much, then remove once the new bottom is toasty.
Serve with a smile on a sunny Saturday morning.
Oh my. That is lovely! I’m desperately trying to come up with some lovely Seussian couplets to accompany these, but 10:30 p.m. is suffocating my brain. Perhaps some other reader will come to the rescue; or I’ll have to check back again when I’m more awake. Or had pancakes, which could do the same thing.
Did you finish that whole thing in the last picture? YIKES!! With pancakes I usually have two and feel terribly guilty afterwards. Blueberry pancakes are by far my favourite pancakes ever… followed closely by ricotta and banana ones. Mmmmm… I might just make this on a weekday just for fun!
wow, the most beautiful stack of pancakes ever! i love it.
you are an artist! and this is art. and I would love to invite you over for one of our waffle sundays. we always play clue and talk with southern accents. we might even make cheddar (!) pancakes instead of waffles. Thank-you for this beautiful post!
They’re beautiful! And, now, I am totally going to copy… except…. perhaps do half apple and half cheddar? I love that combo! :o)
YUM!!!!
Oh, I absolutely love it and wish I had a stack right now. I just blogged about my lack of pancake ability – I defer to my husband on that score. You inspire me to try it again though. I love the colors and I love the idea of using cheese. Great job!
I don’t mix my blueberries in not b/c I’m worried about the color, but b/c I’m kinda type a about my food and I want to know my blueberries are evenly dispersed onto each pancake. God…when did I get so lame… As for the cheddar, I never would have thought a cheesy pancake would taste buttery. Of course, the thought of cheddar and fruit pies skeeve me out, so while I would normally say pass, if you’re saying they rock, then I’ll trust you and your pretty pics and as soon as my tonsils are not so swollen, I will give them a shot.
Those look beautiful and delicious. You are the best! You always make me want to RUN to the kitchen and make everything you made.
i can’t take it! you’re such a genius with recipes, you’re a beautiful photographer.. you amaze me!
Say what? Cheddar AND blueberry in the SAME pancake. Wild. I’m still a little skeptical, but if you promise that they were good, I just make try them out.
-Siri (one of those Norwegian breakfast eaters)
Saw these on Taste Spotting, the picture is amazing!
NAOmni
Jess Tryon – I have an idea for something to accompany it! I saw this on Top Chef; one of the contestants separated egg white from the yolk and mixed in spinach puree (I think), then added the yolk back on top for green eggs! It was pretty exciting.
Cheddar = love.
Pancakes = love.
Cheddar + Pancakes = falling out of my chair.
Seriously fun!! Your rainbow kick does kick ass so I love the tribute to it via breakfast deliciousness! So tasty, and pretty to boot 🙂
What great photographs! I love pancakes (I cannot stand the look of the pancakes when you add the blueberries after the batter is already in the pan – the berries all sunken in and all). I get special requests for pancakes and omelettes. Who knew how much power a person could wield, when all they have to do is learn to make delicious pancakes!
So gorgeous! And, I suspect, incredibly yummy.
Wow, those pancakes look amazing!! I love all the inspiration, gorgeous pictures and all. Came via stylespion.de and that awful rainbow cake – much prefer these pancakes and will definitely try them out. Thanks for sharing!
Seriously, it’s like every time I visit your blog something even MORE delicious that the last post is right in front of my eyes. Glorious!!!
Those pancakes look really good!
I came across your site not long ago and I love reading your posts nearly as much as dreaming of eating the recipes. When a blog about food can make you ‘lol’…I’m hooked! I’m always turning my computer and forcing the husband to look at the pictures! Congrats!
I am definitely going to try these this weekend, so beautiful and tasty looking!
OMG the final assemble of the pancakes looked so majestic! incredible lovely.
Those look great! The effect after the slice is incredibly Seuss.
Aleta, this is incredible! First, I love your blog. I’m so glad I found it! Second, the idea of the sweet and savory pancakes does have me hungry. Why am I stuck at my crappy job in my crappy office??!!!!
Finally something I can actually make here in Korea, now that I brought back a 2lb block of cheese from the US!
Oh .. my… gosh. Those photos look scrumptious. Amazing!
Another great pancake idea which I gleaned from an old woman I was tutoring basic computer skills w/her is to cook up a stack of pancakes slathering butter and cinnamon sugar between each piece, place the stack in a baking dish, pour cream over the whole thing and put it in the oven for a bit. (It’s absolutely a guilty pleasure) Then when you take it out, it’s all kind of formed into a cake and is SO good. You don’t need syrup or anything.
Oh my god. I love this. I love you! BOOKMARKED!
reminds me of the cheese pancakes we made from my mother’s betty crocker cookbook in highschool. And everyone thought we were crazy…
OMG… I just ate and I still want pancakes RIGHT NOW.
My mouth is watering as I read your blog. I think I love you.
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Had to make a link to your pancakes. Im pretending to eat them as I type this… Sighhh…
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I DO want pancakes – NOW (although I have just had breakfast). Thanks a lot. Will definitely try them this week-end…or before.
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I just ate, but looking at these pankcakes again makes me want to make em and eat em ;w;
I made these with strawberries instead. First of all, they were THE most delicious pancake I think I may have ever eaten and I will be making them again ASAP. Secondly, just thought I’d mention that while strawberries do not add as much color as would a blueberry, they are still aMAZing in this batter. Thank you so much for this recipe, Aleta!!! Just in time for mother’s day 🙂
Pancakes are one of my passions in life. I don’t know why, but making pancakes is a source of continuous entertainment for me. If anyone has some tips for making them with natural sourdough starter, my ears are open!
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