Pumpkin Pancakes - A Harvest-time Classic

One of the great things about working from home on Fridays last fall, besides simply working form home was that a nearby diner served fantastic pumpkin pancakes. They provided a great start to the end of the week.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to work from home as often this fall and have not visited my diner, the Eastside Eatery. A simple solution would be to visit the diner on the weekend and see if the pumpkin pancakes were once again available. However, I just as easily could make my own.

My goal, to make my own pumpkin pancakes with a twist that I am passionate about, a proper brew. I have often mentioned my interest in pouring a bit of the "suds" into my pancake batter to colleagues and friends only to be met with puzzled looks. When you look at it from a baking standpoint, it only makes sense. The yeast and other grain properties give "rise" in your pancakes and make them more porous for butter and syrup absorption, assuming one is into that sort of thing. If the right flavor, your beer will give your pancakes a nice malty flavor, not unlike the flavor benefits one would get from vanilla extract. On any given day, I would recommend Harpoon's Winter Warmer. However, we are in the midst of or perhaps the tail end of "Pumpkin Season". While visiting a Trader Joe's food store, I found their Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle mix. I purchased a box to see what good I could make out of it. With that in mind, I considered a beer that wouldn't challenge the pumpkin flavor but enhance it. I chose Samuel Adams - Double Bock.

 The recipe on the box can be followed but if you would like a twist, consider the following modifications:

• On box, 2 tablespoons butter | Recommended, 1 tablespoon cooking oil (I prefer extra virgin olive oil)
• On box, 3/4 cup milk | Recommended, about 1/2 cup milk & 1/4 cup beer (Sam Adams DB) If vanilla extract is preferred, maintain 3/4 - 1 cup milk and add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Complete this harvest-time dish with sliced chicken apple sausage or scrambled eggs with smoked prosciutto, dusted with fresh parsley.