Saturday Pancakes

I’m not sure how unusual it is, but both my parents cooked. Before my mom went to work when I was nine, she did most of the cooking during the week and my dad helped out on week-ends. He liked to cook and was probably a better cook than she was. He was in charge of the roast chicken and stuffing and always made the mashed potatoes. His mashed potatoes were the best ever and his Swedish dumplings were a family favorite. He didn’t bake much, but he did make the most mouth watering orange sweet rolls.

What I remember most about my dad in the kitchen is Saturday pancakes. Mom hated pancakes and the smell made her gag, so she never made them. Dad would make them once in a while and she would retreat to the basement until we were done eating, the dishes were done, and the room had aired. After she started working on Saturdays, Dad made them every week. Later, we began making them together. After breakfast and clean-up, we watched cartoons. It became our Saturday morning ritual.

They weren’t the regular American pancakes that you imagine, they were Swedish pancakes (pannkator) that dad learned to make watching his mother. They weren’t thick and fluffy, they were thin like crepes. While pannkator contain the same ingredients as American pancakes, there is no rising agent, making them thinner and there is less flour and more eggs and butter, making them less chewy and dense than crepes.

Traditionally, pannkakor are served as dessert, rolled up and served with berries or jam, ice cream or whipped cream and powdered sugar. My grandmother Americanized them to be served as breakfast, and we ate ours spread with raspberry jam and rolled up like a crepe. Syrup was never an option.

Although I love all kinds of pancakes, Swedish Pancakes will always be special to me. They bring back memories of Saturday mornings, my dad in the kitchen, and watching cartoons together.

Basic Recipe for Swedish Pancakes (Pannkakor)

1 cup milk
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter

Mix ingredients in order. Let stand for a few minutes before frying. Brown on one side only. Spread with warmed jam and roll up. 

Response to 52 Ancestors Weekly Prompt: In the Kitchen