Collateral Damage

Some things take time.

Corn syrup pooled on the white diner plates caught his eye as he stared at the sticky silverware half submerged in the cleanup cart, the collateral remains of blueberry pancakes. His nostrils still detected the hot grease ranking from the griddle that had given birth to these imagined childhood delicacies.


"Guess I'll order these elsewhere," he thought. "These things will anchor my gut for the better part of this day. I don't even want to think about my supposed diet or the cholesterol aftermath."


Still remembering his mother's Sunbeam recipe that first ignited the fascination, he was seldom contented with approximations.


"I still remember her instructions," he thought. "Heat the griddle first. Then brush a thin coating of vegetable oil over the surface, not allowing the pancakes to float or sizzle. Fold in the beaten eggwhites and the fruit so that it is softly cradled not glumped. Then allow each to cook until the first bubbles rise to the surface, pop and settle. Slide the spatula under the browning cake and gently flip. Don't over cook. They will dry out, lose flavor. Serve them off the griddle piping hot. Garnish with real butter and honest to goodness maple syrup."


"Hard to find an establishment that will take such care with these gentle babies," he mused, "They have become another sacrifice to the God of the assembly line."

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

This appeals to my foody instincts. (I love to cook... and eat) Anything worth doing is worth doing right--yes? Having had two heart BP surgeries, I know the lure of delicious things that will kill you.

[AllenS]

We're on similar path.

[Steve Clark]

I think we are becoming less and less (and yet in some ways more and more) reliant on the assembly line. Thanks for the novel and imaginative way of building up a recipe!

[AllenS]

Steve, thanks for picking up on this little ditty. I have actually had to leave pancakes for lighter fare. I love to make them when there is time.