BABE’S SUNDAY MORNING FLAPJACKS

FRANCES ST. JOHN NIX LAVEY’S (Nashville, Tennessee) grandmother, MARTHA HIGHTOWER TURNER (Demopolis, Alabama), is affectionately known as Babe to her six grandchildren. Babe lives in an antebellum home in Demopolis on the high bluffs of the Tombigbee River. Frances shares, “When I visit, the smell of hot flapjacks wakes me up on Sunday mornings. My feet hit the cold wooden floorboards as I tiptoe into the warm, bright kitchen. I hear Babe humming quietly to herself as I walk up to the high linoleum counter. ‘Good morning, darling,’ she says in her deep Southern accent. ‘Morning, Babe’ is all I can manage to say because I’m half-asleep. I start mixing the ingredients for the next batch because I know once everyone else wakes up, these pancakes will be eaten like it was the Last Supper. Once every last one is done, Babe and I clean up the kitchen and put the griddle and mixer away—where they will wait in that cabinet until next Sunday, ready to be used again. This recipe is for small, light, tender pancakes with oh, such a good taste!”

Butter to grease griddle

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups milk (whole or 2 percent)

1 Grease a griddle and preheat over medium-high heat.

2 Place the egg yolks, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter, and milk in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until well blended.

3 In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.

4 Ladle 1 tablespoon of batter at a time onto the hot griddle. Turn when the surface is dry. These are just as good Monday through Saturday!

MAKES 4 TO 5 SERVINGS.

NOTE: To keep pancakes warm while cooking the rest, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with a paper towel and place the pancakes in a single layer. (Avoid stacking them or they can stick or become soggy.) Hold in the oven for up to 10 minutes. Serve immediately as soon as the last batch is cooked.