Better Breakfasts: American Pancakes, Crispy Bacon and Maple Syrup

During the week, I'm not a breakfast person. I'm well aware that there is nothing to be gained from skipping the first (and most important) meal of the day. But my love of sleep is basically on par with my love of eating, so if I can sacrifice morning routine for 10 minutes extra in bed, then the snooze button will often win. For me, there's no joy in half consciously spooning cereal from bowl to mouth anyway.
On a day off or a weekend, I love a good breakfast, and not just the alcohol sponging full English, although that ranks pretty highly. I love this US answer to the fry up: super thin and crispy bacon, thick spongy pancakes all brought together with a drenching of warmed maple syrup.

As there are only 3 elements to this, it's important to get them right. The bacon must be streaky, and grilled or fried until it is snappable. I'm not usually a lover of cremated bacon, with back bacon I like it cooked until it is touching upon crispy, and any element of flabbiness is removed, but no more. For this, well done is the only way. The pancakes should be freshly made and the syrup warmed. I'd definitely recommend drafting someone into lend a hand. Nothing is difficult, it just all requires last minute attention. They can look after the bacon while you get on with the pancakes or vice-versa. Anyway, unless you want to eat a huge pile of pancakes, the smallest batch of pancake batter makes enough for at least two people. I used the recipe for American pancakes from the BBC Food website. It works very well, although I feel both obliged and reticent to tell the reader that the suggested 4-6 people it served easily fed two of us.



Here's Agent Dale Cooper to explain just why this works so well.


Now all you need is coffee- black- and you're all set.