Cooking for friends, I decided to serve big platters of breakfast for dinner. I made piles of bacon – made crisp in the oven – and fluffy piles of scrambled eggs. To make the whole thing truly American, I made pancakes. It’s a rare occasion – and I really only do it American style – no super-thin crêpe-style pancakes here.

The recipe I used for American pancakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¼ cup milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter

Whisk dry ingredients together, whisk in the milk until a lumpy batter forms. Add the egg, mix. Melt and add the 3 tablespoons of butter.

Meanwhile heat a griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat and add a small pat of butter for cooking.

Use ¼ cup for each pancake (makes 8 to 10 pancakes). Cook on each side – on the first one, when the top starts to bubble, you will know it’s about time to turn it over. Cook the opposite side and remove to plates. Serve warm with real maple syrup.

Then I decided to make vanilla lattes. I had no vanilla syrup but decided to make some. It’s fairly simple.

Vanilla syrup (for coffee drinks, for example)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (preferably clear but any vanilla will do)

Heat the water and sugar on the stove on medium heat while constantly stirring. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the vanilla. When well-mixed, pour the final product into a bottle. It will probably keep for weeks or even months without being refrigerated. I did not have a good storage bottle so had to use an empty Grey Goose vodka bottle!

Then I made happy little vanilla lattes!

“Wine in the morning
And some breakfast at night.
Well I’m beginning to see the light.”