When you think of a pancake house in the states, it conjurs thoughts of blue roofs, plastic booths and artificially flavored syrups. The Dutch version is oh so different. The Pannenkoeken Huizen of the Netherlands are often the most quaint of buildings dripping with charm, slanted roofs, flower boxes and cozy tables. The pancakes are a mix between crepes and American-style pancakes. They are thin and as large as a dinner plate but unlike a crepe, the “fillings” are cooked in.

Sweet offerings include apple/raisin, banana, pineapple and chocolate. The fruit and sweets are sliced thin and dropped into the cooking pancake. Savory offerings range from cheese (mmm… Dutch cheese is to die for), ham or my personal favorite…. Bacon! Why didn’t I think of it before?!?! Cook the bacon directly into the pancake!

Pancake ‘condiments’ always include powdered sugar and stroop , which is a thick, molasses like syrup. No maple flavor here. Although many do not like the stroop on the savory pancakes, I go for it over the top of my bacon pancake. After all…. Americans are used to bacon touching syrup on our plates.

Perhaps in our American kitchens, we should be a bit more experimental with what we load into our pancakes. Thin out that batter and toss in some bacon or cheese for a new pancake experience! Sadly, no amount of salty meat or delicious cheese in our home kitchens can create the undeniable charm that comes with eating the pancakes along a cobblestone street in a tiny village that dates back hundreds of years while smelling the aroma of the flower boxes just outside the window.

p.s. Speaking of revolutions in bacon… you must give this new amazing candy bar a try.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 at 5:47 pm and is filed under Food Experiences. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.