At Harrowsmith headquarters, we often receive emails or Facebook queries from our community for long lost recipes. Readers, who fondly remember an orange and chocolate muffin that definitely had sour cream in it ask, “do you have a copy lying in your galley?” Or, what about that savoury solstice pie with prunes and red wine? The details are often vague, but thanks to those who have kept archives of Harrowsmith’s legacy and former Food Editor Darlene King’s magic in the kitchen, we have been able to unearth a few for you. If you’ve been fondly remembering a casserole or treasured jam recipe from issues past, we suggest posting your Lost and Found ad on our Facebook page. Or, email jules@moongate.ca with the recipe that you’ve been craving. We’ll get our secret team of Nancy Drew detectives on the case!
This week’s lost and miraculously found: Basic Pancake Mix
This is my house mix. It makes a hearty pancake that doesn’t sacrifice tenderness and fluffiness.
If you add fruit to the batter, be sure to defrost it fully first. Clumps of frozen fruit create uncooked pockets within a cooked pancake.
Ingredients
Basic Pancake Mix
- 5 cups all-purpose white flour 1.25L
- 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour 625ml
- 2 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal 625ml
- 1 1/2 cups sugar 375ml
- 1/4 cup baking powder 175ml
- 3 tbsp salt 45ml
To Make Pancakes
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk 250ml
- 3 tbsp canola oil or melted butter 45ml
- 1 1/2 cups Basic pancake mix 375ml
Method
To make mix: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight jar for up to 1 month or in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 10 months).
Makes 12 cups (3L) mix
To Make Pancakes
In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk and oil. Put dry mix into a large bowl. Gradually beat in egg mixture until smooth. If butter is too thick, add 1Tbsp (15ml) milk. Heat a cast-iron griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with oil (or spray with a non-stick cooking spray before heating). Pour about 3Tbsp (45ml) batter for each pancake onto the griddle.
Cook for 1 minute or until bubbles break on the surface and the edges appear dry.
Flip and cook on other side until don, about 30 seconds. Keep warm in a preheated (250C) oven while cooking the reminding pancakes.
Serves 4 (18 to 20 pancakes)
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Jules Torti’s work has been published in The Vancouver Sun, The Globe & Mail, travelife, Canadian Running and Coast Mountain Culture. With experiences as a canoe outtripper, outdoor educator, colouring book illustrator and freelancer, she is thrilled to be able to curate, write and read about the very best things in life.
