Yes it is! Summer with all of it’s bounty occasionally presents us with a supply and demand problem. I had an overabundant supply of berries and while I love them, unless they are strawberries, the demand amongst the rest of the tribe is fairly low for straight raw fruit goodness munching. In an attempt to increase the berry acceptance factor around here, I used one of my favorite methods: incorporating a less than favorite food into an undeniable favorite to ensure that there is at least an honest attempt to eat the former. As it is the weekend, a berry sauce for pancakes seemed a natural fit for this particular supply and demand problem; I was hesitant as the miniature members of the crew objected to the last berry sauce pretty vocally (they are pancake purists I’m afraid), but I thought perhaps with different berries producing a different color, and a different flavor profile just might get us to the starting line for breakfast (a lot of work just to get to the starting line, eh?). Pondering this question I was confronted with my second supply and demand challenge: my thyme garden.
In a rebellious moment a few years ago I planted four very small thyme plants (as well as another herb that is either oregano or marjoram) in my front yard as my first step in flouting my HOA’s regulations about growing food anywhere but in the back yard. I figured the plants would do well there and would raise little in the way of objection as they flower and folks who aren’t either avid gardeners or avid cooks would likely fail to see them as anything but small shrubs. Well, they have thrived, which is great, although they’ve happily consumed the space that I was intending to use for the next step in my suburban yard gardening subterfuge. As a result I almost always have fresh thyme for cooking, YAY, and I have so much that I can also dry a large jar full for when there is too much snow to get to the thyme (this is rare here in mid-Maryland, but it has happened). I have not kept up with my abundant and delightfully aromatic shrubbery this summer and it has continued happily producing, spreading out in a bit of a woody carpet. It’s wonderful, and now I have the pleasure of playing with thyme in just about any dish that tickles my fancy. Hmmm…. would thyme work in a berry sauce? Yes, yes it would, it does, and it was fantastic. And so it was this morning. A little economics experiment, a new flavor profile, and a whole lot of yum. And so I bring you without further overly wordy ado… Pecan Pancakes with Herbed Berry Sauce.
Pecan Pancakes
This is simply a riff on my usual pancake concoction. I’ve left out the buckwheat this time as the more adventurous of my two was expressing objections, thought I’d cut him a break.
- 2 c whole wheat flour
- .5 c all purpose flour
- .5 c corn meal
- 3 t baking powder
- 1.5 t salt
- 1.5 t baking soda
- nutmeg to taste
- 3 eggs ( I used flax)
- 6 T oil
- 3 c buttermilk or soured milk (I used almond)
- a couple of handfuls of pecans, toasted if you’ve time and broken or cut into large chunks
Prepare as usual.
Herbed Berry Sauce - inspired by Emmy’s Summer Berry Sauce
- .25 c water
- 1 t corn starch
- 2 T sugar
- 2 c berries ( I used blackberries and blueberries)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 6 small sprigs fresh thyme
Whisk water and corn starch together in small saucepan. Add sugar and berries and cook over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sugar burning and to help berries break down. Add thyme and lemon juice, stir and allow syrup to simmer until it reaches a thickness you like. There you go. Sweet and tart and fabulously complex because of a few twigs thrown into the mix. Awesomeness in a bowl, or small pitcher, or glass if nobody’s looking. Delish.
While Daddy was busy at meetings, the squirts and I meandered over to the Western Carolina Nature Center. Once we slowed down enough to allow the eighteen field trips that were there get a head start on us, we settled in for a tour of the local flora and fauna which included all manner of fox, wolves, bears (good gravy), cougars, bobcats, farm animals, LOTS of snakes (I tried to remain scientifically engaged and not shudder while the kids were looking), and MY personal favorite, the otters. It was a lovely visit, and the fact that our earlier membership purchased at the Maryland Science Center got us in free just made it that much sweeter (shamelessly cheap, I am). I convinced the kids to walk the short nature loop with me, so Momma got some exercise, green spotting, and the kids had their first honeysuckle. We ate a picnic lunch (of our car lunch leftovers) and it was glorious. 78 degrees and de-freakin’-vine. There is something soft about North Carolina breezes that I have always loved. And the hummus that we continue to rely on to fill in the meal gaps is SUCH a winner, that I thought I would share yet ANOTHER hummus recipe. This one incorporates fresh herbs, and so I think it could be a really fun recipe to play with.
