Canthook

Kids need to learn to cook. Especially boys.

Guys benefit so many ways from knowing how to cook. When men get divorced or widows, they really this skill. It is a useful skill in romancing women. The biggest benefit, though, comes to the married man. When she is POed over some silly little thing that ought not matter at all, she will go storming off. That's when the smart guy heads for the kitchen, and whips up a nice meal. The result is that she will forgive him for his transgression before he's even figured out what he's done wrong.

Pancakes Are What You Start With

The advantage of starting with pancakes when you start teaching a kid to talk is that they are magical. They are a special treat the kids doesn't get every day, something transforms itself in the cooking process. What's more, there are several important rules that virtually guarantee success if they are followed, and virtually guarantee failure if they aren't. That teaches the kid that it's important to learn and follow the rules - important in many endeavors in life, not just cooking.

And pancakes are an easy-cleanup project as well.

You'll need pancake syrup. I grew up with dark Karo, but these days, I use Golden Barrel syrup, made in Leola. Maybe you are willing to pay for real maple syrup, but it helps if the bottle is glass. Have the kid put 2 inches of water in a sauce pan, put it on low heat, so that it takes forever to boil, and plop the opened bottle in the water. Point out to him the consequences of too much water (the syrup bottle is unstable), too much heat (a geyser of boiling syrup that not only burns but it sticks to you) and of not opening the lid (an explosion.) See what I mean about important but simple rules?

You Want A Cast-Iron Griddle

But nobody has a cast-iron griddle, so what you use is a cast-iron fry-pan. Plan ahead so that you can grab one that's dirty. Tell the kid that a sparkling-clean skillet is important, and that you can't put cast-iron in the dishwasher. Cast iron has pores, and when you heat up oil or lard, it carbonizes and fills the pores. This gives the skillet a really smooth non-stick surface. The proper way to clean a cast iron skillet is to use really hot water, and a metal sponge.

You can use a copper sponge, but they don't last very long, because copper is so soft. If you go to a restaurant supply house (which is a really good habit to get into), you can get great big stainless steel sponges dirt cheap. You probably don't need any detergent at all, if you put the skillet under really hot running water, and run the sponge around the skillet. Tell the kid that the smart way to clean the skillet is to do it when the skillet is still hot from cooking something. Just add a little water to the skillet, and it will start sizzling. Swirl the water around a little bit, and you can clean it with a wet washcloth.

Let's Go Dancing

Different stoves give different results, so the right way to test a skillet is to put a spoonful of oil or lard in the middle. It will flatten out and shimmer as it gets hot. If it smokes, it's too hot. If a drop of water tossed on the surface skitters and dances about, the skillet is hot enough.

Pancake batter uses baking powder for leavening. That means you should mix the dry ingredients thoroughly (hey kid, this is an important rule), and then add the liquid at the last moment, mixing it enough that it's just barely mixed (another important rule) so that you don't beat all the gas out the batter.

A Receipt. Or A Recipe, If You're Educated

If you're going to buy store-bought pancake batter, Hungry Jack Extra Lights are a pretty tasty batter. It's easy enough to make up pancakes from scratch, though.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons softened butter

Measure the flour into a one-quart measuring cup, add the baking powder, sugar and salt, and mix it up with a fork. Measure the milk into a one-pint measuring cup, add the eggs, and the butter, and mix that up with the same fork. It won't mix completely, so don't kill yourself trying. Now pour the liquid from the small measuring cup into the large measuring cup, slowly, while you beat with the fork.

Stick To It, Through Thick And Thin

It is at this point that you may need to adjust the viscosity of the batter. You want to pour out a pancake that's about 3/16" thick, and 3" diameter. If it's too runny, it will be thinner than that, and you need to add a little flour. If it's a little too stiff, it will be thicker than that. If you followed directions, the batter should be a little too stiff, because it's easier to thin the batter by adding a spoonful or two of milk than to thicken it up.

Now, between having the viscosity wrong, and starting out with a puddle of oil or lard, that first pancake will probably not turn out too well. That's why you made a small one. The dog will enjoy it.

Now, A Lesson In Patience

You will be tempted to try to lift up the pancake, so you can see how the bottom is cooking. Please don't. Instead, watch the bubbles on the top side. The bubbles will rise to the surface, break open, and the batter will fill in. Gradually, as the pancake gets cooked, the holes will stop filling it, and that's when you turn the pancake. It won't take long on the second side. At that point, the pancake is almost entirely cooked, and you're mostly just browning the surface that you flipped.

Now, when you cook pancakes, the center is thicker than the outside. It cooks more slowly. The bubbles towards the outside will hold their shape while the ones in the center are still filling in from the batter. What you have to do is wait until the ones in the center start holding their shape when they pop. If you want until the ones in the center all start holding the shape, you'll have an overdone pancake, so it's a judgement call. You want the ones almost to the center to hold their shape.

And thus we have another important rule: perfection is impossible, but if you pay attention, you can do well enough that nobody else will notice.

Which side is up?

The side that was initially down will have a very smooth surface, but it will be darker. The side that was initially up will have some holes in the surface, but it will be light golden brown. It's up to you, but I serve the light side up. That's because the hole serve as nooks and crannies to hold the butter and the syrup. The other side may look prettier, though.

I think pancakes go best with sausage patties. The maple syrup really adds a lot to them. Restaurants seem to think pancakes go best with fried eggs and bacon. The folks that run cooking schools obviously don't know what they're doing.

You can slice some bananas or strawberries, or drop some whole blueberries or raspberries into the skilled right before you pour the pancakes in. Some people prefer to have their pancakes dusted with confectioner's sugar (also known as 4X sugar or icing sugar) instead of using butter and syrup, and if your family is not used to this variation, you might try it out on them.

Why Can't Adults Fry Pancakes?

I don't know why. I've started a dozen kids, ranging in age from a 5-year-old boy to a 17-year-old girl, in cooking, and I always start with pancakes first. Oh, and I've taught some women in their 30s how to cook pancakes as well. I don't know why people think they're hard.

On the other hand, everybody seems to think they know how to fry eggs, and most people do a terrible job. That's not their fault. Experts agree, eggs are hard to fry well, especially if you're trying to cook the whites and leave the yolks runny. If you order eggs at a restaurant, and they come out right, tell the manager that the fry cook probably deserves a raise, because so many places serve borderline-inedible eggs.

Other Bloggers On Related Topics:
- bananas - berries - cast iron skillet - confectioner's sugar - cooking lessons - pancakes - sausage - strawberries - syrup