Pancake day

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Posted at 10:18AM, 24 February 2009 by Caroline Hire - Food editor, bbcgoodfood.com

I was ambling around Sainsbury's yesterday when something truly offensive caught my eye: a squeezy bottle of pancake mix. And as if that wasn't bad enough I saw a couple of people seriously considering the option. Thankfully they quickly rejected the idea for the foolishness that it was.

What could possibly be the reason for the existence of this product? Money? Admittedly, at a cost of £0.99 it could hardly be called an expensive option (although the environment might disagree) but there's no doubt that a homemade batter would be significantly less. Time? Well it only takes a few minutes to knock up a batter and most people would surely have the ingredients - milk, eggs, flour - at home. Factoring in the unnecessary trip to the supermarket - there's no comparison.

Are we really so lazy that we can no longer make the most basic of recipes?

So - the appearance of this item struck me as a vile testimony to modern living - are we really so lazy or know so little about cooking that we can no longer make the most basic of recipes?

Surely, you can't go far wrong when making a pancake batter - really it's the frying that can prove tricky and no matter how much you try and make the contents of that squeezy bottle cook themselves they won't.

As someone who's always loved to cook - have I simply lost touch with the average person or is there genuinely something wrong with this? What do you think?

Are there any other 'convenience products' that you think go a step too far?

Comments

Christine

24 February 2009, 11:15AM
Christine

I fully agree with you Caroline that buying pancake batter mix is really beyond the pale. Nothing could be simpler than making the batter from scratch, even for a novice cook. I find the only slight disadvantage to the person in charge of the frying is having to cook and serve continuously, and wait for your turn for a delicious mouthful!

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jvcg

24 February 2009, 11:37AM
jvcg

I totally agree that pre-made pancake batter is an abhorrence. Although...OK, I admit it, I did buy those ready made ones from Waitrose once. Somehow that didn't feel so awful. They were from Waitrose - surely that can't be wrong? Amazing how it's possible to justify some things and not others.... My fave topping is lemon and sugar. Lots of both. But I also love maple syrup - particularly on a lovely fluffy American style pancake - preferably with blueberries cooked into the pancake. When I was little we used to have pancake eating competitions - I think my record was 12. Wonder if I can beat it tonight... mmmmm pancakes.....

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Craig

24 February 2009, 11:42AM
Craig

Sorry Caroline (and Christine), but I'm afraid that sometimes convenience trumps orthodoxy. I'm an avid cook but I cannot be bothered with the business of making my own pancake batter. Last night I made the some pancakes using the "Aunt Bessies" brand ready mix. Just add water (I also added a teaspoon of cinnamon) and shake. Bingo. Smother with Italian home-made rosemary honey and a little salt, and serve.

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Suzanne

24 February 2009, 11:54AM
Suzanne

Caroline, re your question about convenience products - fried onions in a can are an abomination. And fried mince in a can (Delia, are you listening?) is the stuff of nightmares, I'm sure even my cat would turn her nose up at that one! But the worst thing for me is those 'breakfasts in a can', my old flatmate used to devour them for tea - eggs, bacon, sausage and beans, in a CAN? Shudder ...

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James

24 February 2009, 12:07PM
James

But some people are just scared of cooking - what if the batter mix they make doesn't turn out right? A ready made mix is safe. American pancakes are so much easier to cook - because they're thicker there's not the flipping problem. I use Nigella's recipe: http://www.nigella.com/recipe/recipe_detail.aspx?rid=20006 and just blitz it all in the blender. Lasts in the fridge 3 days too. Or the cooked pancakes freeze well - not that you'll have any left though......

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drusilla

24 February 2009, 12:18PM
drusilla

Or here's a thought (you're on my wavelength with the pancakes, James, by the way) When you mix the dry ingredients together - why not store it in an airtight container? That way, you have your own ready-made home-produced INSTANT PANCAKE MIX! :D (Okay, slightly cheating, but still homemade!)

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Frantic Flapjack

24 February 2009, 1:14PM
Frantic Flapjack

I do think that some people think if it's in a packet or ready made up, then somehow it will be quicker and taste better than their own homemade efforts - a shame really especially for children. What better way of teaching them to cook than to make a batter and flip those pancakes. Yum - can't wait till later.

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sioden

24 February 2009, 4:09PM
sioden

I totally agree that the biggest challenge with pancakes is getting the flipping just rughst, and not putting too much batter in the pan. This will not be solved with a little bottle of something that looks like it's already been eaten once.....

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Caroline

24 February 2009, 5:52PM
Caroline

Glad to hear I'm not alone, although I like Craig's idea of customising the mix for those who really feel they don't want to get involved with the weighing and mixing.

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Steve T

24 February 2009, 8:43PM
Steve T

I am a recent convert to the world of cooking and would have been guilty of similar supermarket purchases in the past. However just completed my first pancake night actually creating a meal from pancakes rather than all the other years of just pancakes!!! Everyone loved the dish (kids aswell!!) Pancakes with ratatouille and a cheese sauce, followed by chocolate drizzled pancake for dessert. All homemade and so easy. Never again will I buy these so called food products.

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Steve T

24 February 2009, 8:47PM
Steve T

With regards the amount to put in the pan, I bought a stainless steel measuring cup set and the 125ml cup filled to the top is just right for a 10" pancake pan. Set up a little pancake station with silicone brush and olive oil pot and slightly oil between pancakes. Works a treat

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janine_from_olive

24 February 2009, 10:38PM
janine_from_olive

My Mam hates cooking but every Sunday when I was a kid she would put together a decent roast chicken dinner then serve up a Sarah Lee cheesecake from a packet for pud. I say live and let live - if you put a bit of love into it, it doesn't matter where it came from. I'm grateful if someone makes me beans on toast for tea!

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Nicola

25 February 2009, 8:19AM
Nicola

Ah, i was invited to a friends house for a pancake day feast a few years ago. All my friends brought round some amazing treats to top the pancakes, and I was really looking forward to it, but when I got there she had bought ready made pancake mix in a BOTTLE? Why??? It takes about 1 minute to whip up a batch of batter from scratch. Anyway, we all read the instructions - 'just add milk and give the bottle a shake', which my friend did, only to end up a lumpy mixture of gooey, floury blobs...not smooth batter. So she tried to cook it, and they were stodgy with lumpy bits in. I was so tempted to offer to make a fresh batch myself, but thought it may have been a little rude!

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Leamac83

25 February 2009, 10:26AM
Leamac83

I made my pancakes last night, at about 20 past 7 i decided to put the mix together and they were on the table by the time eastenders had started (7.30)!!! Easy!! And so much better tasting than shop bought and without all the additives and preservatives!

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Tanzanite

26 February 2009, 7:58AM
Tanzanite

I saw this as well, and could not believe my eye's, what will they think of next? The very idea of not making a batter and using something out of a squeezy bottle is to silly to think about. Perhaps taking convieniance foods a little to far.

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miniminx

26 February 2009, 1:30PM
miniminx

pancakes were the very first thing i learned to cook, ever...aged 6. my mum showed me twice and then just let me rip in the kitchen on my own. i suppose there are mothers out there now tutting at letting a small child alone with a frying pan! but to this day i can turn out the most perfect pancakes you've ever tasted - packet pancakes?! rubbish! it's child's play!

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SandieB

26 February 2009, 6:19PM
SandieB

There's not even any need to weigh the ingredients to make your own batter. I was watching something on tv recently and Brian Turner was saying that the easiest way to make a yorkshire batter was 1cup of flour, 1cup of milk, 1 cup of eggs, and you know what...after over 40 years of cooking my yorkshires came out great for the first tim :o) I used the same formula for my pancakes and just added a little more milk to thin it down a tad.

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Lollipop

26 February 2009, 9:35PM
Lollipop

I just don't get it! Don't even get me started. What is more fun than spending 3 minutes making a batter and then getting to flip them in the air! I don't even care if they land on the floor! My 5 year old thinks they're best with maple syrup and ice cream!

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