Full Stack

Jake gave Maggie some sound advice about the Oscar race:

"There isn't actually anything at the end of the rainbow," "It's a lot of fun and enjoy it in that spirit. If you make it mean too much more than that, you'll probably go astray."

And with today being Shrove Tuesday,(Pancake Day) feel like we must pass on some advice ourselves. The rainbow is your own journey. But pancakes we got to step in. Because when uncle cred can't save them, that's bad, really bad, you got things stack up against you.

So Jake, listen up? Here's some pancake advice.

Go Fresh - Use the freshest ingredients you can get your hands on. And maybe not go for the scratch, and just break down and use a mix like the rest of us.

Don't Batter the Batter - Don't over mix. Pancake batter should be mixed just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Don't worry about lumps. You want them. They'll cook out on the griddle.

Get a Griddle - Cast iron or electric griddles make great pancakes because they heat evenly and give you plenty of room to work.

Go Easy on the Greasy - A light coating of oil or non-stick spray at the start is all you need for most pancakes.

Ladle with Care - Using a quarter-cup ladle held very close to the griddle, pour the batter gently so that it spreads in even circles.

Keep it Neat - Don't let pancakes merge into each other, and avoid moving them while the first side is cooking - they'll brown more evenly if you leave them alone.

Flip with Finesse - Pancakes are ready to flip when their surface is covered with bubbles, their edges look dry and a peek at their undersides reveals a golden brown color. Turn them gently, barely lifting them off the griddle.

Finish with a Flourish - Presentation makes all the difference. Warm the plates. Serve pancakes with real maple syrup, warmed slightly, and softened or whipped butter. Garnish with fruit or nuts.

Know When to Hold 'Em - Keep pancakes warm by placing them on a cookie sheet between layers of cloth towels. They'll hold in the oven at 250°F for up to 10 minutes till you have the whole batch done.

Of course you could just go out for a Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity and be done with it.


Or maybe head over Ikea get you Swedish on.



Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of shriving, when the faithful confessed their sins to the local priest and recieved forgiveness before the Lenten season began.
Historically, Shrove Tuesday also marked the beginning of the 40-day Lenten fasting period when the faithful were forbidden by the church to consume meat, butter, eggs or milk. So if you had these things what do you do? Use up the milk, butter and eggs no later than Shrove Tuesday. So you add with the addition of a little flour, and do you get... pancakes..

"... as fit as a pancake for Shrove Tuesday." William Shakespeare (All's Well that Ends Well)

Who would have thought that The Bard was a pancake kind of guy.

And to all the pancake deprived. Happy Mardi Gras!