Sour Cream Pancakes -- Because the First One Always Burns

The week after the proposal has been a blur of phone calls, congratulations, and every person I've ever met having an opinion about my wedding. Southie operates on a network that makes the internet look slow — by Wednesday, people I hadn't spoken to since high school were stopping me at the corner store to say congratulations. Mrs. Flanagan from three doors down brought over a plate of shortbread cookies "for the bride" and told me about her own proposal in 1974, which involved a rowboat and a ring that fell in the harbor. Every love story in this neighborhood has a punch line.

Sean D. and I started talking about the wedding. I want St. Brigid's — the church where I was baptized, confirmed, and have attended Mass every Sunday of my life that I wasn't actively dying. Sean D. wants whatever I want, which is either the most romantic or most dangerous thing a groom can say. We're thinking June 2017. Maureen is already planning the food, which means the wedding is essentially organized from her perspective. "You handle the church," she said. "I'll handle the important part." The important part is, obviously, the food.

Work was a welcome distraction. Mrs. Petrov, my book-giving patient, is responding beautifully to treatment. She gave me another book this week — a food memoir about a woman who cooked her way through grief after her mother died. "You'll need it someday," she said, and I said, "I hope not for a very long time," and she patted my hand and said, "Of course, dear. But keep it anyway." I put it on my shelf. I'll read it later. Much later.

I baked an engagement cake this weekend — chocolate, three layers, way too ambitious for my skill level. The frosting looked like it had survived a minor earthquake. Sean D. ate half of it standing at the counter in his boxers at midnight and said it was the best cake he'd ever had. He's a liar and I'm going to marry him. Saturday pancakes were celebratory. The first one still burned. Some things don't change, even when everything does.

Saturday pancakes have been my anchor through this whole pregnancy — the one ritual that stays constant even when everything else is shifting — so it felt right that engagement morning called for something a little more special than usual. Sour cream pancakes are my upgrade: same comforting stack, same inevitable burned first one, but richer and tangier in a way that felt worthy of the occasion. Here’s how I make them.

Sour Cream Pancakes

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4 (about 12 pancakes)

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Butter or neutral oil, for the pan

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. A few lumps are fine — do not overmix or the pancakes will be tough.
4. Rest the batter. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes while you heat the pan. This lets the leavening activate and results in a fluffier pancake.
5. Heat the pan. Warm a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a small pat of butter or a thin film of oil. The pan is ready when a drop of water skitters across the surface.
6. Cook the pancakes. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until golden. (The first one will probably burn. That’s tradition.)
7. Serve. Stack and serve immediately with maple syrup, softened butter, or fresh berries. Keep finished pancakes in a 200°F oven on a baking sheet if cooking in batches.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 37g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 370mg