#NationalPancakeDay at Charred Oaks Inn

Happy National Pancake Day! Any excuse to eat a tall stack of pancakes, griddle cakes, flapjacks, hotcakes, hoecakes or Johnnycakes is fine by me. Apparently, this batter-made delicacy dates back more than 30,000 years. In fact, historians think it may be the oldest breakfast food in history! Somehow I don't find that surprising - I mean, why mess with a good thing?! And of course pancakes work well not just for breakfast, but for dinner as well.

To celebrate #NationalPancakeDay, today's sweet breakfast entree at Charred Oaks Inn was our bourbon-infused cornmeal hoecakes. Recipe follows. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup self-rising Buttermilk enriched white cornmeal mix (Our preference is WhiteLily)

½ cup buttermilk (Our preference is buttermilk made with whole milk)

1 egg

2 TBS bourbon (Our preference for this recipe is Four Roses)

2 TBS vegetable or canola oil

2 tsp granulated sugar

¼ cup hot water

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat griddle (Our preference is a non-stick griddle, but you can melt butter in a heated skillet over medium heat)

In a large bowl whisk together the cornmeal mix and granulated sugar

In a small bowl slightly beat egg with two tablespoons of oil; whisk in buttermilk and bourbon

Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture and stir until combined

Whisk in hot water gently until combined (You may not need to use all of the water, the batter should be thick, but not stiff)

Drop two heaping tablespoons of batter onto the hot griddle (or skillet if you prefer) for each hoecake

Cook each cake until browned and bubbles appear on the top of the cake; turn with a pancake turner or spatula, and brown the other side.

Serve hoecakes while warm with choice of toppings.

Makes 12 hoecakes