Buttermilk pancakes are my kids’ favorite, especially on slow Saturday mornings. Since buttermilk is not a staple in my fridge, I need to think ahead to make sure I have this signature ingredient on hand when the weekend arrives.
At the Moscow Food Co-op, you can find local, raw buttermilk fresh from Mary Jane’s Farm in Moscow or pasteurized buttermilk from Organic Valley Cooperative (visit their website to see OCV farmers within 300 miles of your location). For these pancakes, I used Organic Valley buttermilk and soft white wheat flour from Harvest Ridge Organics in Lewiston, Idaho (available in bulk at the Moscow Food Co-op). Smooth and sweet, this flour is perfect for pancakes.
The local eggs, purchased at the Moscow Food Co-op, came from Ralph Needham in St. Maries, Idaho.
Buttermilk Pancake ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 local egg
1 1/2 – 2 cups buttermilk, more if need to thin the batter
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in large bowl. In separate bowl, slightly whisk egg and vanilla in 1/2 cup buttermilk.
The brilliant yolk of the local egg will make the pancakes golden on the outside and a rich yellow on the inside.
Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Add the remaining milk and melted butter. Stir until smooth. Batter will be think, but should also be pourable. Add additional buttermilk, if needed, to create a batter that spreads slowly when poured.
This Tupperware mixing bowl was my mother’s. I can remember her making us pancakes on Saturday mornings, and, as a special treat, for dinner when my dad was on hunting trips in the fall. Occasionally, I see these bowls at the thrift store. With a pourable spout on the side, they are a great find!
Cook on lightly oiled griddle or fry pan. Turn pancakes when surface bubbles begin to break.
If you have an electric griddle, try heating it to 350F and cook a test pancake. Adjust temperature as needed to ensure lightly golden outsides and fully cooked insides.
Serve immediately with butter, pure maple syrup, homemade jam or powdered sugar. Store extra pancakes (if you have them!) in the fridge in an airtight container. To retain texture, reheat in a toaster oven.