Podcast Companion: Eventually, the Guys Get Around to Discussing Pancakes

 Hi everyone!!  As promised, TK is back with is, and we finally got around to discussing pancakes, after several (lengthy) digressions.

Time Stamps:

1:46 The Nate Burns His Melon Story
5:41 On the Ansul System
8:46 On Wood Ovens
11:37 The AMAZING Drago’s Oysters
12:45 Agege Bread from Nigeria
14:14 Bao Bread, and a Crazy Bread Rant
17:0t6 Tarver’s Brilliant Recipe Naming Convention
18:30 Tarver’s Wok Method, He’s Super-Excited
19:30 Jesse’s Linguistics Theory
20:42 Tarver Goes All Hippie, and We Discuss Chinese Food
24:38 We Attempt to Pivot to Pancakes, and Get Sidetracked By Injeera
27:45 The Guys Finally Get Around to Pancakes
29:10 On Acid Balance in Baking
31:48 Jesse Goes 6th Grade Chemistry Teacher
33:30 On Different Flours
36:40 Jesse’s Pancake Quest
38:06 Tarver Drops Some Pancake Science
40:14 Jesse’s Humbling Pancake Experience
40:50 Abelskiver Talk, and the Wizard’s Cookbook
45:16 Back to Jesse’s Humbling Pancake Experience
47:48 Jesse’s Pancake Recipe (Not Perfect!)
51:12 Hide the Beer Can

Note!  Tarver's recipes will be coming in a later blog post, we are having some technical issues.  (Probably related to Jesse's incompetence.)

Links: 

Nate talked about Nigerian agege bread.   We looked around a bit, and this recipe looks legit, although be warned, we haven't tested it at all.

Jesse mused about the possible linguistic connection between the Portuguese 'pao' and the Chinese 'bao.'  He was completely wrong.  For a discussion on why, click here.  (It was a nice thought.)

We were going to link to Fat Rice, the Macau-style restaurant in Chicago, but apparently, they have closed, because their chef is kind of a dickhead, allegedly.  Details here.

We also talked about Xiao Bao Biscuit, and we can personally attest that the chef is definitely NOT a dickhead.  Neither are the other co-owners.  All very cool people.  And the food is SICK.  Details here.

Tarver rhapsodized about the [trippy and oddly soothing] 7 Plums YouTube channel, and it's actually pretty amazing.  Just the thing after some pipe weed and a plate of mushrooms.  Click here.

Jesse talked about the EXCELLENT pancakes at Jack Tar and the Colonel's Daughter, which he mistakenly called 'Jack Tar and the Capitan's Daughter.'  He is dumb, and bad at podcasting.

Finally, if you want to peruse Ronny Emborg's insane The Wizard's Cookbook, you can check it out here.

Recipes:

Nate's Pancake Recipe

Dry Mix

300g Cake Flour

140g Bread Flour

20g Baking Powder

4g Baking Soda

20g Malted Milk Powder 

10g Kosher Salt

Wet Mix

300g Sour Cream

300g Whole Milk

60g Sugar

4 ea Large Eggs

2 ea Large Egg Yolk

To Finish

113g Melted Butter ( one stick)

20g Vegetable Oil

Yield = 10/12 large pancakes

In a medium bowl, scale all dry ingredients. Blend with a whisk and set aside. 

Set yourself up for success, and have a few dry kits, scaled out and ready to go. They’ll last for quite awhile, in a tightly sealed container in the cupboard. Or put it in a mason jar, it makes a great gift, especially for the kids to give. 

 Gently melt butter. Add the oil, and reserve at room temperature, keeping it in liquid form. But not too hot.

In a large bowl, scale all the wet ingredients and whisk smoothly.

Add all the reserved dry ingredients, into the wet ingredients, and whisk until incorporated, approx 30-45 seconds. Do not over mix, some small clumps are ok. 

Now, while whisking, pour in all the melted butter, and sir until just incorporated. 

Cook pancakes as desired on a lightly buttered, non-stick surface.

Malted Milk powder, while most brands vary slightly,  is generally a powdered mixture of malted (sprouted) barley, wheat flour, and evaporated milk powder. It’s primarily used to add a distinctive nutty flavor and depth to many foods and drinks. This often overlooked ingredient is something savvy bakers and professionals almost always have on hand. Just a small addition to your existing recipe can provide savory umami undertones, help  to round out sweetness, and correct ph balance. 

Jesse's Pancake Recipe

300g AP flour

4 T, malt syrup

2.5 C buttermilk

5 T. butter, melted

1.5 t. baking powder

1.5 t baking soda

1.25 t. kosher salt

Mix flour, soda, BP, and salt with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, lightly mix eggs, buttermilk, and malt syrup.

Gently mix the wet into the dry, a little clumpy is ok.

Gently beat in the melted butter.