Hans Fugal wrote:

> So here's my plan:
>
> 1c start
>
> 1/2c flour
> 1t soda
> 1/3t salt
>
> 1 egg
> 1/2c milk
> 5t oil
>
>
> My questions: do you think it's a good plan (tomorrow I'll find out
> empirically), specifically is the soda amount still relevant and is the
> flour/start proportion good for flavor and non-rubberiness? Mostly I'm
> interested in your pontificating theories for the sake of speculation.
-----------------------


<ok... pontification alert>

Nope. About half of your total flour is committed to water before the
batter is made. Gluten will form and the pancakes will not be tender. I
suppose if you made an extremely thin starter to reduce the flour but
still generate acid it might go.

Why not just work on the buttermilk end? The result is best with no
water, all buttermilk. I would culture some whole milk with a
tablespoon or two of buttermilk and leave it out (covered) overnight.
In the morning you should be at the thick, sweet smelling stage. There
will be plenty of acid for the rise and with whole milk you can omit
the oil as well. The pancakes will be much lighter and still have
plenty of mouth-feel. Save your oil use for the pan. Makes the cakes
crisper, gives them a visually pleasing surface.

100% white flour pancakes aren't so hot either. Freshly milled corn
flour is a terrific addition. 35% corn flour is a good place to start.


Baking soda leavens well but can add odd flavors (which is why folks
add oil + too much sugar to the batter). Try a 50-50 blend of baking
soda and cream of tartar instead.

If whole corn for milling is hard to find perhaps you can get buckwheat
groats. Buckwheat pancakes are a lost art and represent the finest
pancake experience. They are best at 100% buckwheat. No flour
what-so-ever. The buckwheat should be milled coarsely, not like meal,
but between flour and meal. Mill too fine and the batter gets glue-y.
If you nail the milling, they are light enough to float off the plate.

<end pont. >