Grandpa’s special pancakes
When I was little, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house in the Dallas neighborhood of Oak Cliff. Sundays through Fridays, my grandmother ruled the kitchen. But on Saturdays the stove belonged to Grandpa. Every Saturday morning, you’d walk into their house and the smell of smoky bacon, spicy sausage and sweet syrup would waft through the air, inviting you to take a seat at the table and dig into a tall stack of Grandpa’s special pancakes.
When cooking his pancakes, he’d always mix his batter with an eggbeater in a large 32-oz. glass measuring cup, which made it all the easier to pour the batter into the skillet. And while his pancake recipe is pretty simple, because they were made with both expertise and love they are still the best pancakes I’ve ever had.
Even though my grandparents were living in Dallas, they had never given up their family farmland in far North Texas. On both farms are pecan trees, and so they always had a steady supply of this sweet and crunchy Texas treat. Grandpa would throw them into his pancakes, and when blueberries were in season he’d add those as well. The soft, puffy pancakes combined with the snap of fresh nuts was a perfect marriage—so sweet and delicious, in fact, that no butter or syrup was even necessary.
When they retired and moved back to the farm, Grandpa didn’t abandon his Saturday-morning pancake tradition. If I’d be visiting, my grandparents always insisted I stay through Saturday so I could eat some of his pancakes. It was a request I never refused.
My family loves to both eat and cook, and my brother Jacob has decided to continue Grandpa’s pancake-making tradition. So when my Grandpa died in 2008, on the morning of the funeral, we woke up early to find Jacob in the kitchen beating up a batch of pancakes just like Grandpa’s. After eating and cooking, my family loves nothing more than the opportunity to remain at the table talking and laughing for hours on end. And Jacob’s pancakes were indeed a fine tribute as we sat around that morning at the farm, eating puffy pancakes while sharing memories and stories about Grandpa.
Grandma gladly gave me his pancake recipe, which is made all the more dear by the added instructions, “Mighty good on Saturday morning.” And yes, you can eat these pancakes anytime, but for me they’ll always be Grandpa’s special Saturday pancakes—a sign that a happy time of family gathering has begun.
Grandpa’s special pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
- 1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup shelled pecans
Instructions
- Beat together the egg and milk. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix (can add more milk if needed).
- Pour 1/4 cup onto skillet heated at medium.Cook for a couple of minutes on one side (until edges are brown and bubbles form in batter).Flip and cook on other side a couple more minutes.
- Serve immediately.Don’t forget: Mighty good on Saturday morning!
I am very sorry to hear about your loss. Thank you for sharing this very special recipe with us.
although i still live in texas (valley raised, although houston is my current home), i love your blog. i’ve often said i don’t think i could ever live anywhere but texas, although i’m willing to try any texas place once (maybe laredo next).
my grandfather died three weeks before my h.s. graduation, and he was to make the beans – or rather, his nurse/companion/the lady who cooked and cleaned for him and my grandmother was going to make them per his instruction. unexpectedly this easter weekend, i stumbled onto your blog looking for a capirotada recipe – just like grandpa left without sharing his beans, 7 months later my grandmother left without sharing capirotada.
unexpectedly this monday night, i’m also crying. i’m so sorry for your loss. he looked like a sweet texas man, and you clearly loved him much.
Lisa, my heart goes out to you. This is a beautiful tribute to your grandfather.
I’m so sorry for your loss. What a lovely way to remember your grandfather, with Jacob cooking his pancakes and you sharing the recipe. My grandpa makes pancakes, too — banana pecan ones, with Bisquick and love. I think I will appreciate them even more on my next visit.
Thank you for sharing with us.
HT, you got the pancake recipe right, including the heaping tablespoon of FRESH baking powder. But you left out one part of the Saturday morning pancake ritual. The poot. You gotta fart in the kitchen before making pancakes. That’s how my dad, your Grandpa rolled.
He was a great man, a pioneer in the field of psychology. He made life better for veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietman at the VA hospital in Dallas. And he made life better for all of us who were priveleged to know him.
And his pancakes were the best.
We mourn his death and we celebrate his phenomenal life.