During my childhood, I don’t remember ever eating pancakes for breakfast at home. We were strictly an oatmeal, cold cereal, or eggs and bacon family when it came to breakfast. Instead, we had pancakes for lunch now and again, and we loved them.
And then there were the times that we had them for dinner. It happened very rarely, but it always felt a bit decadent when we did. It was such a deviation from the normal type of evening meal in our house, and seemed so casual and care-free by comparison.
I can only imagine that it represented a much-needed break in the routine for Mom, given the amount of cooking she did all the time.
The few times I did actually have pancakes for breakfast as a young person occurred away from home and left an indelible memory. My dear Aunt MJ would on occasion take us to IHOP as a special treat for breakfast or brunch.
It was there that I first heard of buckwheat pancakes, since she’d order a stack for herself every time we went. She loved IHOP and was a loyal customer just because of those specialty pancakes. And over time, I came to love them as much as she did.
Now let me explain a little about buckwheat. To begin with, it is not even wheat at all, but a relative of the rhubarb family, so buckwheat flour happens to be naturally gluten free for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. (Be sure to check for products that are labeled as gluten free, since some brands contain wheat flour).
Second, it has double the protein content of regular pancake flour, which is probably because it comes from a fruit seed; seeds are incredibly nutrient- dense, protein-packed little foods.
And third, it’s also an excellent source of fiber, unlike the white flour usually used in pancake mixes.
And then there were the times that we had them for dinner. It happened very rarely, but it always felt a bit decadent when we did. It was such a deviation from the normal type of evening meal in our house, and seemed so casual and care-free by comparison.
I can only imagine that it represented a much-needed break in the routine for Mom, given the amount of cooking she did all the time.
The few times I did actually have pancakes for breakfast as a young person occurred away from home and left an indelible memory. My dear Aunt MJ would on occasion take us to IHOP as a special treat for breakfast or brunch.
It was there that I first heard of buckwheat pancakes, since she’d order a stack for herself every time we went. She loved IHOP and was a loyal customer just because of those specialty pancakes. And over time, I came to love them as much as she did.
Now let me explain a little about buckwheat. To begin with, it is not even wheat at all, but a relative of the rhubarb family, so buckwheat flour happens to be naturally gluten free for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. (Be sure to check for products that are labeled as gluten free, since some brands contain wheat flour).
Second, it has double the protein content of regular pancake flour, which is probably because it comes from a fruit seed; seeds are incredibly nutrient- dense, protein-packed little foods.
And third, it’s also an excellent source of fiber, unlike the white flour usually used in pancake mixes.
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