Buckwheat Pankcakes

One of my favorite places in the world is the South Jersey Shore….specifically Ocean City, NJ has been a haven for me since I was a little girl. As I drive into town over the 34th Street Bridge, the salt air overwhelms my senses and I am immediately calmed by the expectation of a peaceful retreat.

Transcendentalists take heed…

…sitting on the beach one must also endure the conversations from neighboring umbrella city dwellers about what to make for dinner, sports, politics (everyone’s an expert, you know) and the occasional chiding of a rambunctious child who just dropped his mother's cell phone in the sand. For some, this discourse might get tiresome, but for me, it just adds to the Shore’s allure and familiarity – remember, I grew up in Fairmount and am half Italian, so I am used to a bit of disorder!

Any jaunt to Ocean City would not be complete without a visit to Uncle Bill’s Pancake House. I like the 21st and Asbury Street restaurant, but there are other locations in Strathmere, Avalon, Stone Harbor, Wildwood and Cape May. Regardless of the location, I ALWAYS get the buckwheat pancakes.

You might think that buckwheat is a grain…not true; in addition to being a beloved character on "The Little Rascals," Buckwheat is a fruit seed related to rhubarb, and does not contain protein glutens, so it is often eaten by those with gluten allergies. Oh-tay, now that we've established that...the Uncle Bill’s version of buckwheat pancakes are not gluten free because they contain all-purpose flour, but they are nonetheless soooo good. Below is the recipe direct from this South Jersey Shore tradition!

Uncle Bill's Best Buckwheat Pancakes

1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons buckwheat flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons canola oil and 1 teaspoon butter, for frying pancakes

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.
2. In another bowl, mix together, all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.
3. Pour the dry ingredients into the egg-mixture.
4. Stir until the two mixtures are just incorporated.
5. Heat a griddle or large frying pan on medium-high heat.
6. In a small saucepan, add 2 teaspoons of canola oil and 1 teaspoon butter and let melt. Use as required to rub the griddle or frying pan before frying each batch of pancakes.
7. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter onto griddle or frying pan for each pancake to form 4 inch pancakes.
8. Fry until bubbles form on the top of the pancakes, about 3 minutes.
9. Flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes or until done.

Enjoy! BTW....I LOVE breakfast for dinner, so stay tuned!

Ocean City photos from Google Images. Recipe from food.com.