The Sample
As generic as it seems, conventional wisdom indicated that we should give good old Bisquick (a pantry stalwart) a shot:
With a seal of approval from the Cedar Rapids Handfelts (including two cute kids who are pancake/waffle experts), our next contender was the funny named Krusteaz Light and Fluffy Original:
And finally, our Round One winner, back for a head-to-head face-off to defend her original title, was Aunt Jemima's Original Pancake Mix:
The Method
As in Round One, Ben prepared the three pancake mixes according to directions on the box and carefully calibrated their "doneness" (perfectly golden brown, not too thick, not too thin, juuuuust right) using his new Celaphon non-stick skillet which he deemed, "One of the best purchases ever!" (Watch out Emeril, Wolfgang, and Bayless...Ben's hot on your tail...) I love it that my husband can get excited about a pan.
One-by-one, Ben and I sampled each pancake (one bite with butter only, one bite with syrup, and this time one bite with applesauce*). We then wrote down our comments for each and ranked them on a scale of 1-5 stars. Ben knew which pancake was which mix, but I didn't. The suspense continues!
The Results
Bisquick:Ben's comments: 4 stars, "A solid contender! Lacks the discipline and flavor of a champ, but is young and hungry...for pancakes."
Katy's comments: 2 stars, "Beautiful pancake! Ugh, but it tastes like a mix. If I ordered this at Village Inn, I wouldn't come back...Waffle Stop Cafe, here I come..."
Krusteaz Light and Fluffy Original:
Ben's comments: 3.5 stars, "Sweet, almost waffle-y. If Aunt Jemima is Bruce Willis, this is Jason Statham."
Katy's comments: 5 stars, "Not a cute cake, appearance-wise...but it smells great. Sweet and fluffy...sorta like Carmella. My fave!"
Aunt Jemima's Original:
Ben's comments: 4.5 stars, "This is why I got into the pancake trade!"
Katy's comments: 4.5 stars, "Perfectly pillow-y. This is exactly what I imagine a good pancake should look and taste like."
The Clear Winner
It's a barn burner with a split vote, but Ms. J does it again! Stay tuned for our third and final round in the coming weeks. It's cute that we're conducting these household experiments during our maternity leave to keep us occupado and not loco. Hopefully our little one will arrive within a few days and in between feedings and naps, we plan on having the ultimate Hotcake Smackdown: our favored boxed mix, Aunt Jemima; an upscale mix, like Williams-Sonoma brand; and HOMEMADE pancakes. We know you're sitting on the edge of your seats, if you haven't already fallen off your chair.Pancake Standings
Aunt Jemima (Original)Krusteaz (Instant)
Bisquick
Hungry Jack
Trader Joe's Multigrain
*In case you don't know, warm applesauce on pancakes/waffles/french toast is about the best thing of all time. It took me years to convince Ben that I wasn't crazy for saying this, and now I dare say, he is converted. If you're not big a fan of syrup like me, I totally recommend this healthy option. It all started back in the day (1984) with my Grandpa Walt...except he used some fantastic homemade applesauce instead of the sorry canned excuse that I'm using. But, it's still good. Try it; I double dog dare you.
SYRUP ASIDE
Ben: We also tested two different syrups on this. Your standard, Mrs. Butterworth (Lite) and Spring Tree Pure Maple Syrup. Basically, fake vs. real.
Like a savvy politician, Katy declined to pick a real winner between the two, so as not to offend Mrs. Butterworth (and risk being called a racist) or lose her street cred by bashing the 'real stuff'. I thought that Spring Tree was rich and smoky, and even a bit bacon-y. It made me feel like I should be lifting weights or chopping wood, both of which I gave up back in '04. Mrs. Butterworth was sugary and light, like my loafers. Bonus points to Spring Tree for coming in a bottle shaped like a flask, but it loses a couple points for it's exorbitant cost. If you have kids who are used to the sugary sweetness of the normal store-bought syrup, they may be put off by the decidedly different taste of real syrup, but I think it's a good alternative for the adults in the family and after a few bites, you'll vow to grow a beard (even if you're a woman) and invest heavily in flannel.
4 comments:
Pancakes!
I do also have to say that Krusteaz Wheat & Honey is the best!! You should check it out too. The kids love it- also the CR Handfelts don't do syrup very often. We are usually just butter with syrup on special occasions. Sometimes fresh fruit or choc chips in with the mix!
We will have to give the applesauce a try.
You can buy the pancake batter from that restaurant in the Amana Colonies. Colony Inn? But perhaps that is not upscale and trendy enough for Monsieur Handfelt?
You have to try Peanut Butter, I'm not kidding here. You might even mix in some grape jelly.
The best way is to butter the cake first. Then lay down a nice even layer of peanut butter (when the cake is hot, that way the peanut butter melts)you can then add a spoone full of jelly. Spread it around evenly then roll it up and enjoy.
Papa Ron
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