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Pancakes are a delightful gastronomic experience that has been around for ages. Pancakes are simple to make and require only basic ingredients, so we tend to take them for granted. But there’s no denying that a pancake is a delectable, tasty, classic dish that has made a permanent place in the hearts of people everywhere. As it turns out, the human relationship with pancakes goes back a long way. A really long way.
According to experts, the history of pancakes dates back nearly 30,000 years. You read that right, 30,000 years, or sometime during the Stone Age. The stomach of Otzi the Iceman, a glacier mummy from the copper age 5000 years ago found in northern Italy, was found to have pancake in it. We’ve seen evidence that wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk were used to make pancakes in ancient Rome and Greece.
The Greek poets are also known to have mentioned pancakes in their poetry. In the 15th century, 'buckwheat cake' or 'griddle cake' became a widely used dish in America. This dish was later named 'pancake'.Pancakes take different forms in various cultures, like the dosa in India or crepes in France.
The oldest known recipe for pancakes is said to date back to 1588, a time we now refer to as the Tudor period of England’s history. To put that in perspective, William Shakespeare would have been in his 20s at the time this recipe for an English pancake was written down. What’s remarkable is that the recipe is not too different from what is used even today. It was published in a cookbook titled The good HuswifesHandmaide for the Kitchin, and the ingredient list included:
- 175gms plain flour
- 2 egg yolks
- 300ml cream
- 60ml (traditional British) ale
- 100gms sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 25gms butter (for frying)
The preparation used is the usual method: sift the flour, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl, then add the egg yolks. Whisk the mix and then add the sugar, cream, and ale till you get a smooth batter. Use the butter to fry the pancake in a pan. Voila! You can now eat a pancake made from the oldest pancake recipe known to mankind. It’s only about 500 years old, not 30,000, but hey, it’s a piece of history!
While we’re at it, here are some great pancake recipes from the current era that you can try at home.
1. Buckwheat pancake recipe
Buckwheat is a nutrient-rich plant that can be ground into buckwheat flour. It has high levels of fibre and is gluten-free. Because of its nutty flavour and darker colour, buckwheat flour is distinct from whole wheat flour. 100% buckwheat flour may be used to make pancakes that are both crispy and tasty, but a mixture is typically preferred to keep pancakes fluffy.
Ingredients
• 1 cup of buckwheat flour
• 2 cups of milk,
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 5 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of table salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
How to make the batter
• Blend milk and lemon juice for a few minutes in a bowl, it will look like curdled milk.
• Mix sugar, baking soda, flour and salt in another bowl.
• Whisk the egg and vanilla essence into the curdled milk prepared earlier.
• Add the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture and whisk until the batter becomes thick.
• Let it rest for a few minutes.
Method
• Add the butter to a pan over medium heat.
• Take 2-3 tablespoons of the pancake batter and pour it on the bubbling butter.
• When the ends look dry and crispy, and bubbles appear on the top surface of the pancake, turn over.
• Once turned, it will take one or two minutes to cook further to light brown.
• Serve it immediately with maple syrup, honey, butter, or strawberry as toppings.
2. Chocolate pancake
It's best to make a chocolate pancake if you believe in the power of chocolate or want to further your love affair with the cacao bean. Don't these delicacies utterly spoil us? Here's the recipe!
Ingredients
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• ¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• ½ tablespoon of vanilla essence
• 3 tablespoons of melted butter
• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• ½ cup of chocolate sauce
• Salt to taste
How to make the batter?
• Whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
• Beat the eggs, milk, and vanilla in another bowl and add butter.
• Blend the bowls of dry and wet ingredients together and mix it well, stirring some chocolate sauce into it.
Method
• Add some of the vegetable oil to a pan placed on medium heat.
• Take 2-3 tablespoons of the batter and pour it on the pan and cook till the bubbles pop up at the center of the pancake.
• Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, and flip it for an additional minute on the opposite side.
• Serve it with some powdered sugar, strawberries, or chocolate sauce on top of it.
3. Banana Pancakes
Banana pancakes are awesome! What other pancake has a hit song named after it? Banana pancakes are really simple to make and they are quite filling, especially for children. They are packed with nutrients that keep you healthy and strong. Serve them with some delightful toppings and youhave an absolute crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
• 1 cup of refined wheat flour
• ½ cup of sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup of milk
• 4-5 tablespoons of vegetable oil (use half for the recipes and half for frying)
• 1 mashed banana
How to make the batter?
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir.
• Add all the wet ingredients to another bowl and stir.
• Add all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient bowl and mix till well incorporated.
Method
• Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining vegetable oil to a pan.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of the batter to the pan over medium-high heat.
• Cook for a few minutes.
• Flip it over with a spatula, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve the banana pancake with some cut bananas, chocolate syrup, etc.
