Glimpse of Yesteryear
Its that time of year again ... the time some in Geauga call the sweetest time. Its sugaring time. Sugar houses are…
Its that time of year again … the time some in Geauga call the sweetest time. Its sugaring time. Sugar houses are being readied. Trees are being tapped. Collectors and/or tubes are being checked. And, pancake breakfasts are being planned.
Of course, when sugaring time comes, pancakes come to mind … as do waffles and sticky buns. But, pancakes are first and foremost.
We all know what a pancake is. Its a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. In Britain, it is made without a raising agent and is similar to the French pancake called a crepe. In America, a raising agent is used (typically baking powder). The American pancake is similar to the Scotch pancake called a drop scone.
Yes, pancakes are international, with nations having their own variations. For example, the French crepe, popular not only in France, but also in Belgium, Switzerland and Portugal, are made from flour, milk and eggs. They are thin pancakes and are usually served with a large amount of sweet or savory filling, ranging from fruit or ice cream, to seafood and may not only be eaten for breakfast, but also for other meals or as a dessert.
German pancakes are called pfannkuchen (Pfanne and Kuchen meaning “pan” and “cake”). A pancake popular in Austria and Bavaria is the kaiserschmarrn, a light, caramelized pancake that is split into pieces, filled with fruits and/or nuts, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a fruit sauce. It is believed that it was first prepared for Kaiser Franz Joseph I of Austria … hence, the name.
In the Netherlands, pancakes are called pannenkoeken and eaten at dinnertime. Pannenkoeken are slightly thicker than crepes and are 12 inches or so in diameter. The batter is egg-based and fillings include, alone or in combination, sliced apples, cheese, ham, bacon and candied ginger. Stroop, a thick molasses-like, fruit-based syrup is also popular. Poffertjes, a Dutch quick bread, is similar to American pancakes but sweeter and much smaller. They are made in a specially dimpled copper pan and are flipped repeatedly to attain a soft interior.
Spanish pancakes are called frixuelos or filloas and are very popular in the northwest of Spain. They are made from flour, milk and egg. Typically a carnival treat, they are thin pancakes and are usually served with a large amount of sugar or honey.
In the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia, pancakes are thin and filled with apricot, plum, lingonberry, strawberry or apple jam, chocolate sauce or hazelnut spread.
Polands thin crepe-style pancakes called naleshniki can be served with a variety of savory or sweet fillings as a main dish or a dessert. Sweet fillings include fresh fruits, jams and soft white cheese with sugar. Savory fillings include fried vegetables, fried chicken, minced meat and a variety of added ingredients such as potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage or ham. The Polish pancake was adopted by the Russian and the Ukrainian cuisines, which call them nalesniki and nalysnyky, respectively.
Going further afield, Chinese pancakes may be either savory or sweet and are generally made with dough rather than batter. And in India, the pooda (sometimes called cheela) is a pancake made either sweet or salty in a frying pan and of different thicknesses in different places. The Indonesian pancake, serabi, is made from rice flour and coconut milk.
In Japan, okonomiyaki are made from flour, egg, cabbage and a choice of ingredients. In Malaysia and Singapore, pancakes called apam balik have a filling made with sweet corn and condensed milk. In Nepal, the Newar have a savory rice pancake called chataamari cooked with meat or eggs on top.
As you see from this very incomplete list, pancakes are many different things to many different people, but we in Geauga would say none are so sweet as Geauga pancakes dredged in butter and Geauga maple syrup.
For information on the events at the Geauga County Historical Society’s Century Village Museum, call 440-834-1492 or visit www.geaugahistorical.org.
