This is my mom’s recipe — and it might have been her mother’s recipe. I’m not sure. But these are about the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten: fluffy with a wonderful flavor and chewy texture. We love them cooked in a little of the fat left from frying bacon, but they are also delicious cooked in butter or oil.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 T oil

preparation

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
2. In a separate bowl (or just in a measuring cup) combine the wet ingredients.
3. Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir just to combine — lumps are okay! Let the batter rest for five (or more) minutes.
4. Heat your favorite fat — oil, butter, bacon fat (!) — in a non-stick skillet.
5. Spoon dollops of batter into the hot pan, taking care that they don’t touch.
6. Keep the heat low-to-medium, so the pancakes don’t burn. When their sides are looking done, carefully flip them over.
7. Continue cooking until the second sides are done and the pancakes are cooked through.
8. Serve with butter and heated syrup — or whatever you like on them!

Notes

Leftover batter will keep a few days in the fridge. It might turn slightly grey in color (that’s the buttermilk), but this is fine. The later pancakes will not have the wonderful fluffiness of those cooked on the first day, but they will still taste pretty darned good!