Needless to say, I was annoyed. And late.
And hungry.
And I am a very cranky hungry person. Ask sister and best friend….and former husband…which
may help to explain the adjective.
The plan was to meet for breakfast before the art show and
even though the meal could officially be classified as brunch by the time we
ate, it was well worth the wait.
We ate at a kitschy little diner at 4th and Spring
Garden Streets called Silk City . I ordered the Fig and Hazelnut Pancake
special and let me say – without reservation – that these were the tastiest
pancakes I’ve ever had. The crunch and
rich flavor of the hazelnuts blend so nicely with the sweetness of the figs and
the smoothieness of the whipped cream. My
good mood was instantly restored, which sister and best friend totally
appreciated.
Figs grow on trees and are a member of the mulberry
family. They are a cute little fruit,
that, when sliced, reveal a colorful and luscious flesh. Figs are versatile – used in both savory and sweet
dishes – and are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps to control
blood pressure. Figs are also a good
source of dietary fiber, an important supplement for maintaining a healthy
weight.
Since I did not leave the restaurant with a recipe (I
usually ask, but I must have been so content that I forgot), the one offered
below is cobbled together from a few I found on-line in an attempt to replicate
the tastes.
Fig Pancakes with
Whipped Cream and Hazelnuts
Ingredients
6-8 fresh figs, sliced lengthwise
2 eggs1 ½ cup milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon maple extract (or you can use vanilla)
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
(you can use 1 cup of either but I like to mix flours)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts
1 smidge cinnamon (I define a smidge as a bit more than a pinch)
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Whipped cream
Maple syrup
Directions
In large mixing bowl stir together the flours, salt, half
the nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl combine together eggs, milk,
oil and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the liquid mixture to dry
ingredients and stir to blend. Pour the batter onto a hot griddle forming each
pancake and top each pancake with a few sliced figs. Cook until the batter is brown around the
edges and the bubbles stop bubbling. Turn to brown the other side. Serve hot topped
with whipped cream, maple syrup and the remaining hazelnuts OR with some fig
jam….yum.
1 comment:
Wow! These sound delicious. I have a fig tree so I'm always interested in recipes that use fresh figs.
Mimi
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