These are our buttermilk pancakes, the HB pancakes, the ones that we have written on a piece of paper and taped to the inside of a cupboard. The ones everyone knows how to make. What I mean is that these are our go-to.

I sometimes find myself arrogantly skeptical of “go-to’s” because they are simple and quick and often unquestioned. Is it a go-to because it’s the best, or is it a go-to because it’s familiar? In all honesty, both reasons are valid enough to have something be a go-to, nostalgia is valid and whatever, but mom and I are not really compromisers of quality. So, while these pancakes are very quick and simple, they have a secret: buttermilk. Ok, well, I guess if the secret is in the name it’s not really a secret. A strength, then, or a superpower. Buttermilk adds a depth of flavor and softness that can’t be missed. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand and you’re tempted to replace it with milk and vinegar, I think you’ll be better off choosing another recipe (our cottage cheese pancakes, perhaps?). At least, that was mom’s advice.

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

Serves 6

• 2c flour

• 2Tb sugar

• 2tsp baking powder

• 1tsp soda

• 1tsp salt

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1/4 c canola oil

• 2c buttermilk

Whisk together dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl. Combine the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, and buttermilk) in a separate bowl, you might use the same whisk, and then pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just smooth (don’t overmix!).

Cooking:

With a ladle or a 1/4 cup measure, scoop and drop the batter onto a gently preheated non-stick or otherwise coated pan. I prefer a medium/low heat for control. Wait for little holes to form in the pancakes before flipping them unless your pan is on a high heat, in which case they might get cooked on the outside more quickly than the inside (holes indicate cooked through, brown on outside indicate cooked on the surface). If you feel so inclined, you might add some blueberries are chocolate chips in on the raw side when the pancake is cooking on the griddle on its first side (don’t pre-mix them in with the batter). If making many for a group, it might help to put your oven on the warm setting and put the pancakes on a cooling wrack inside of a sheet pan. Serve with whatever you fancy.