Johnnycakes!

This morning, E and I slept in. After a long week of getting up at the crack of 7:45, we decided that a Saturday "No Alarm Policy" was, indeed, GO!

And yet, this LaurieSafari becomes biologically programmed to wake up at the same time each day surprisingly easily--meaning that my eyes snapped wide open around 8am. However, this lonesome morning time was not wasted. Oh, no no no...



Homegirl made johnnycakes.
Those delightful, light and fluffy cornmeal pancakes. Yessir!

Pancakes are one of those weird things that one would never imagine to be very different elsewhere. One just thinks, "Oh, pancakes. Run of the mill stuff. Everyone knows pancakes." (Or, at least, I did.)

But--as I found out in both Ireland* and France--American pancakes are pretty different from pancakes around the world. Seriously. There's even a whole Wikipedia article about regional differences! American pancakes, it turns out, are kind of a thing. A thing people ask you to make...

Of course, johnnycakes are the Southern variation on the common US pancake. We just add coarse cornmeal to the traditional mix before we toss them in the pan (and then top with molasses... mmmmm).

"Wait, wait, wait. What? Cornmeal!? In Ireland!?" you say. "Surely you jest, madam! Coarse ground cornmeal in quantities large enough with which to bake just simply can't be found outside the Southeastern United States!"

Ha! That's where you're wrong. I stumbled upon some yellow cornmeal down at the Quay Co-op a few weeks ago! I've been itchin' to put it to good use ever since. Ah, sweet serendipity:

E was thrilled to wake up and find some Southern culture on his plate. We ate these bad boys with honey and peaches. Oh yes.

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*E totally edited Wikipedia article on regional pancakes to read "UK and IRELAND" as opposed to just "UK."