Southern Cornmeal Pancakes

When I first started my blog, my goals were modest to say the least.  I hoped a few dozen people would visit my blog each day.  I hoped my blog could be featured within the first few pages of a Google search.  And above all, I hoped that someone I didn’t already know might leave an encouraging comment.

I’ve met each of my first two goals.  According to the blog administrator, my blog receives over a hundred page views each day.  The administrator also lists the search terms and hyperlinks that direct these individuals to the pages within my blog.  When I keyed some of these terms into Google, sure enough, there was my blog – and on the first page no less!

I’ve also met my third goal – and in exciting fashion.  For many months now, I’ve been receiving comments from friends, family, and readers alike.  And I’m grateful for each comment.  Whenever I get a new comment, WordPress sends a notification to my e-mail address.  The blog may be more than a year old, but every new comment still gives me that rush of excitement.

Back in February, I made sour cream and honey cornbread.  A day after posting the recipe, my Gchat icon turned red, and the excerpt that flashed across the lower right of my desktop announced that I had a new comment awaiting my approval.  The comment was a particularly fun one, from a woman named Crescent Dragonwagon.  A few mouse clicks revealed that Dragonwagon was an accomplished author of several cookbooks and children’s books.

I took her comment to heart, and eagerly accepted her offer to send me a copy of her Cornbread Gospels.  Within a few days, a copy was sitting in my mailbox.  As I flipped through the book, with its comprehensive collection of all things corn, an introductory note caught my eye.  In her dedication, Dragonwagon dedicated the book to Judge Richard Arnold and his wife.   For over twenty years, Judge Arnold sat on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, the appellate court that hears the appeals of cases decided by my judge!

This is first recipe I tried — though it certainly won’t be the last — from Crescent Dragonwagon’s wonderful book.

Southern Cornmeal Pancakes

Recipe adapted from Crescent Dragonwagon’s The Cornbread Gospels.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME:5 minutes
YIELD: Serves 4

WHAT TO GRAB:
1/2 cup blue corn cornmeal
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (350 degrees for 8 minutes)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Confectioners’ sugar
Maple Syrup

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat your griddle over medium-low heat.

2.  In a medium bowl, sift together the cornmeals, flour, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg, then whisk in the buttermilk, followed by the oil.

3.  Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture, whisking quickly to blend the ingredients thoroughly.  Do not overbeat; whisk only until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

4.  Grease the griddle. Working in batches, pour a little less than 1/4 cup of the pancake batter onto the griddle.  Cook the pancakes for about 3 minutes, or until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned.  Flip the pancakes and cook for another 2 minutes.  If making a second batch of pancakes – and why wouldn’t you – the cooking time may be a bit shorter.

5.  Serve with warm maple syrup and top with confectioners’ sugar!