I'm Up! Lemon-Poppy Seed Pancakes

Lemon-Poppy Seed Pancakes

Unfettered from the constructs of the work week, weekend breakfast is one time when time doesn't matter.

Long and leisurely, usually with something good to read, a crossword puzzle to work, or the soft-voiced retelling of the previous night's dreams, the habit of a weekend breakfast can provide something nice to look forward to the whole week through.

Mornings when you've woken not by the alarm but on your own volition are especially conducive to a breakfast treat. A friendly poppy-seeded pancake, tangy with buttermilk and the cheer of lemon makes the whole experience more agreeable. Earthy, crunchy poppy seeds and the congenial wake-up call of citrus in a robe of fluffy cake made toasty with butter, dolloped with lemon curd, served with a steamy mug of black coffee... Weekend, here I come!

I'm Up! Lemon-Poppy Seed Pancakes

a Sticks Forks Fingers Original

Dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

zest of one lemon

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Whisk all above ingredients in a large mixing bowl to combine.

Wet ingredients:

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

juice of one lemon

one extra large egg (I used 2 very small county ones here)

2 tablespoons mild olive oil

Whisk together wet ingredients in small bowl. Quickly fold them into the dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are barely moistened.

Heat cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Melt one or two tablespoons butter in pan, and drop in 1/4 cup measures of batter. Cook until bubbles form and begin to break on top and the edges are just beginning to loose their shine. Flip, and cook until bottom is nicely browned, adding more butter as necessary.

Makes about ten 4" pancakes. Top with powdered sugar and lemon curd. (Trader Joe's makes a nice one that I always keep in the pantry for such occasions, in case you don't happen to have any freshly made.)