Strawberry Pancakes

I got a cat. Her name is Biscuit. She is a tabby, gray and white, approximately two years old according to the shelter, and she has been in the apartment for six days and has already claimed the kitchen windowsill as her territory, which seems entirely right. She sits there in the morning when I am making coffee and the east light comes in and we look out the window together.

I named her Biscuit because when the shelter staff put her in my arms she kneaded my shoulder twice with her front paws, the same motion you use when working bread dough, and it felt like a sign. Gloria laughed on the phone when I described naming her after a biscuit. James said: well it suits her. He has not even met her.

This week in the kitchen I made strawberry shortcake because strawberries came into the farmers market in abundance this week, those small local ones that are intensely red and sweet and nothing like the grocery store version. I made the shortcake biscuits, the sweet kind with a little extra sugar and a touch of cream, and they rose. I want to say that again: they rose, light and tall, and I split them and piled strawberries on them and whipped cream and ate one sitting on the concrete step outside while Biscuit watched me through the screen door with what I can only describe as professional interest.

Brought shortcakes to Sunday. Gloria tasted one and said those biscuits are light and I said thank you and she said: finally. She has been waiting for me to get there. I have been getting there. Finally is the right word.

Those small local strawberries that came in this week were too good to stop at one recipe — after the shortcakes I still had a punnet left, and on Saturday morning with Biscuit on the windowsill and the east light coming in exactly the same way, I made these strawberry pancakes. If “finally” was the word of the week, this was the breakfast that lived up to it: the berries fold right into the batter and the whole thing comes together fast enough that you’re eating before the coffee gets cold, which felt like exactly the right tempo for a week that ended well.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4 (about 8 pancakes)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced small (about 6 oz)
Butter or neutral oil, for the pan
Extra fresh strawberries and maple syrup, to serve

Instructions

Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined — a few lumps are expected and welcome. Do not overmix or the pancakes will be tough. Fold in the diced strawberries.
Rest the batter. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes while you heat your pan. This gives the leaveners time to activate and helps the pancakes rise evenly.
Heat the pan. Place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a small knob of butter or a light drizzle of oil and let it coat the surface. The pan is ready when a drop of water flicked onto the surface skitters and evaporates immediately.
Cook the pancakes. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the surface, leaving room between each. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip once and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until cooked through and golden on the underside.
Keep warm and repeat. Transfer finished pancakes to a baking sheet in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining batter, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed between batches.
Serve. Stack the pancakes and top with additional fresh strawberries and warm maple syrup. A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream is not the wrong call.

Nutrition (per serving)

Strawberry Pancakes — The Week the Biscuits Finally Rose