Pancake's odd relative

I´m a huge fan of pancakes, but I was disturbed when Brits suggested I eat them with gravy, meat, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Pancakes take different forms: Japanese fluffy soufflé pancakes, American waffles with a piece of butter drowned in maple syrup, or French delicate crepes with lemon juice and powdered sugar. I´ve discovered their odd second-degree relative, the family's black sheep: Yorkshire pudding.

It´s funny how our cultures differ, yet we share these round pieces of batter with a topping. Of course, some slight change always makes them special, but their purpose is the same.

The classic image of pancakes comes from the USA and Canada. It´s the photogenic stack of pancakes, where the secret ingredients are buttermilk, sugar, and baking powder. Staying within the comforting, fluffy feeling, go to Austria for Kaiserschmaren, typically served with apple sauce and powdered sugar.

If you´re looking for a slightly different experience, try Chinese scallion pancakes. They are savoury, made from dough, not batter, and dipped in soy sauce. However, if you want to go bonkers, have some Yorkshire pudding with gravy!

Before you say, but Viki, Yorkshire pudding is not a pancake and isn´t even supposed to be a British substitute for one, shut up! I didn´t say it was (okay, maybe I did, and I think that). But the batter is the same for both, so even though it´s a different shape, I can´t forget that I´m eating a cup-shaped pancake. And no one can expect me to have a pancake with gravy, meat, vegetables, and mashed potatoes.

So what did I do when I made them? I ate them with jam and cheese, butchering the British culture. Which, kindly pointed out by my friend, is a non-existent bunch of stolen stuff, so it isn´t a crime.

Love,

Book and Tea Girl