The pancake (also called flapjack, hotcake and griddle cake) is one of mankind's oldest forms of bread. All are basically batter that is poured in rounds into a hot skillet or griddle and cooked over high heat. To test for high heat, flick a few drops of water on the griddle, if the water dances on the surface the griddle is ready.
Pancakes can vary in thickness from a thick American pancake to thin crepes. Beating the batter until is is smooth will result in tough pancakes. Beat the batter only until ingredients are blended; the batter will still be lumpy when ready to cook.
Cook pancakes until bubbles break all over the surface. Flip the cakes, cooking the second side until golden brown. Turning the pancake more than once toughens it. Never press down with a spatula, this will compress the cake and make it heavy.
Cool leftover pancakes, place in freezer bags, separating each with waxed paper squares and freeze for up to three months. Reheat pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet at 325 degrees for about 8 minutes or until warmed through. This can also be done in a toaster oven. To heat in the microwave, cover cakes lightly with waxed paper and microwave on HIGH for 10 to 30 seconds. Don't overheat.
Walter Silks of Sun City wanted to make flapjacks and could not find any recipes. This one was shared via e-mail by Norma-Jean Papritz of Corona. It was taken from an old Better Homes and Garden magazine.
This is an old-time Alaskan favorite updated. The starter is made with packaged biscuit mix and yeast. Make the flapjacks big and pass plenty of melted butter and warm maple syrup.
EASY SOURDOUGH FLAPJACKS
1 package active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 egg
2 cups milk
2 cups packaged biscuit mix
Soften dry yeast in the warm water. In another bowl beat the egg; add milk and biscuit mix. Beat with rotary beater until blended. Stir in yeast/water mixture. Allow batter to stand at room temperature 1 to 1 ½ hours. Do not stir.
Cook flapjacks on hot, lightly greased griddle or skillet. For uniform size cakes, pour ¼ cup of batter for each cake. Turn each when bubbles break the surface. Makes 2 dozen (4-inch) flapjacks.
"I had always thought a flapjack was just another name for a pancake. I started hunting for a flapjack recipe and found this one in my old `Joy of Cooking.' I tried it and found indeed it was quite different from a pancake. I liked them. Here is the recipe," Beverley Kraemer of Corona wrote.
This recipe makes about 20 (2-inch) cakes. If you make up this traditional camp treat without the eggs, the flapjacks become lacy.
FLAPJACKS (Crisp Corn)
1 1/3 cups white cornmeal
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup sifted flour
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 cups buttermilk
1 or 2 large eggs
Sift together in a bowl the cornmeal, salt, baking soda and flour. Cut in with a pastry blender the butter or margarine. In another bowl combine and beat together the buttermilk and eggs. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients with a few swift strokes. Make the cakes small for easier turning. The batter settles rapidly, so stir between spoonings. Makes about 20 (2-inch) flapjacks.
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Dawn Graham of Corona asked for help in finding a recipe for the Northwood Inn's red cabbage salad.
Sue Duncan of Banning wrote she found this recipe in her family cookbook submitted by her cousin. Norma Gill of Norco, Karen Richmond of Yucaipa, Linda Cruz and Lee Hoven of Riverside all submitted this recipe.
NORTHWOOD INN'S RED CABBAGE SALAD (close but not original)
½ head red cabbage
½ cup oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Shred cabbage so it is irregular with some fine and some coarse into a bowl. Add oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoned salt, pepper and onion powder. Mix well. Let stand several hours or overnight to allow flavors to mellow and slaw to achieve a deep red color. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Arlene Klawiter of Hemet shared this recipe.
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Ed Erzen of Riverside faxed this recipe in answer to a request made by Joe Victorino of Menifee. Ed's favorite, it is a wonderful dressing served over spinach.
HOT BACON DRESSING ON SPINACH SALAD
3 cups spinach leaves, washed and dried at room temperature
1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
¼ cup bacon drippings
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Combine spinach, egg, onion and crumbled bacon in a bowl. Heat bacon drippings; add vinegar, sugar, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over salad. Makes 4 servings.
Malcolm Williams of Canyon Lake shared this recipe.
HOT BACON DRESSING
6 bacon slices
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup seasoned rice vinegar
Lettuce
Trim off all the fat possible from bacon; chop into small chunks. Cook bacon until brown. Add oil and vinegar and mix. Pour over torn lettuce while dressing is still hot. Makes 2 to 3 servings.
Lois Pager of Murrieta also submitted a recipe.
READERS' REQUESTS
Rachael Constantino of Banning wants to make a Dutch apple pie with a crumb topping for her husband.
Bonnie Holt of Corona needs a recipe for zucchini bread and/or muffins without sugar.
June Tooley of Hemet would love to have a sugar-free fat-free raisin bran muffin recipe.
Tena Perreault of Riverside wants to make crispy persimmon cookies.
Harriet Butterfield of Perris would like to have a recipe for orange marmalade.
Amy Siegfried of Riverside is looking for a lemon curd recipe.
Dianne Pack of Hemet would like a recipe for Stouffers spinach souffle.
Sue Fontenot of Riverside hopes to find directions for making the barbecued chicken salad served at Mimi's Cafe.
Sherrie Norris of Norco wonders if anyone could help her with a recipe for the bread pudding served at the Gold Nugget Casino in Las Vegas.
Need a recipe or want to help a reader who is seeking one? Write to Liz Caesar, Cook and Tell, The Press-Enterprise, PO Box 792, Riverside, Calif. 92502-0792. Or e-mail to features@pe.net. Please include your daytime phone number. Your full name and city -- but not your street address -- will be used with your contribution or request. Because of the volume of mail, not every contribution can be used and, to ensure a broader range of contributions, recipes from the same reader(s) will appear no more frequently than once every six weeks. No telephone inquiries, please.
Recipes are not tested by The Press-Enterprise.
Liz Caesar, a Cordon Bleu graduate, has studied and taught cooking in Asia, Europe and the United States. She has been writing the Cook and Tell column since 1975.
Published 9/23/1998