Pancakes, in Bristol

Today’s inspiration for pancakes came from the Bristol Wine and Food Festival. Two stalls down from Jimmy’s Food and across from some organic chocolate was Clark’s Foods selling maple syrup. I had bought some from them last year and the idea of it stayed with me. Where to get pancakes though?

On Sunday, the Bordeaux Quay Brasserie serves butter milk pancakes with poached summer berries, crème fraîche & maple syrup for £6.00. The pancakes are superb and fluffy but I didn’t fancy going on my own.

I had pancakes at the Arnolfini last summer and while their mint tea is almost authentic in its mint suffused presentation, their pancakes were rubbery and flat. The strawberries and cream topping was nice but I wasn’t willing to try again.

I wasn’t sure whether the Clifton Lido breakfast menu included pancakes and luckily I didn’t venture as it doesn’t appear to do so.

The Boston Tea Party, on Park St, serves Belgian Waffles with all manner of toppings but no pancakes on the menu. The Glassboat has been doing a lazy Sunday Brunch menu but it’s a lovely place designed for lingering meals with company.

I decided that I wasn’t meant to eat out so instead I would cook at home. I bought some milk from Sainsburys for 45p and headed back. Pancakes don’t require many ingredients and I already had flour and eggs. I double checked my recipe against the one on the dedicated pancakesite and the rest was quite easy.

Ingredients:
100g (4oz) plain flour
1 egg
300ml (1/2 pint) milk
optional pinch salt

sugar and lemon juice to serve
oil for frying

Recipe
1. Add the flour and salt to a bowl and make a well in the middle.
2. Add the egg and slowly stir in with the flour.
3. Add the milk slowly until it’s all combined.
4. Heat some oil or butter in the frying pan.
5. Pour some mixture over the surface of the pan and wait until one side cooks.
6. Flip pancake over and slide on to plate when done.

I didn’t have any creme fraiche or poached fruit so it was sugar on the pancake, I then rolled it up and sprinkled sugar on top. Just the way my mum used to make them.