St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner and it’s an extraordinary holiday for many—whether Irish or not—to spend with family and friends. Living on Long Island for several years while commuting to work in New York City, I always enjoyed the parade and the politicians, and found myself entranced by the holiday as experienced in the New York City subway system. Green was always the color of the day, and drinking and eating in excess was standard procedure for many. One often found an array of characters underground feeling little pain. Of course this experience held a bit of uncertainty, but also an excited sense of glee. The costumes people wore were often worth the price of admission.

Not being much of a drinker, aside from a glass or two of red wine with dinner or a beer with peanuts at a ballgame, I have grown to prefer eating rather than drinking in excess, especially for lunch and dinner around holiday time. Every birthday we experience gives us an excuse to find other times to eat extravagantly. Breakfast comes to mind. And, as the years accumulate, I have found this time of day to be a special one.

Certain breakfast meals are more special than others. Living in New York, I came to love sesame bagels with smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese, red onion and tomato slices. Extraordinary sandwich! Just extraordinary! Although some say it’s an acquired taste. Of course, sautéed kippers (herring) with caramelized onions and a squeeze of lemon juice are no less wonderful for breakfast. I am told this is common fair in the UK, but I learned to eat it in Des Moines, IA, at the breakfast table of my grandmother, mother and father. What a wonderful meal it was, as well.

Another special breakfast meal that doesn’t have to wait for St. Patrick’s Day is soft scrambled eggs with roasted poblano chile peppers. The origin of this meal I suspect is Oaxaca, Mexico where I know chile peppers are best eaten roasted, peeled and combined with other complementary foods, like chicken, pork or all kinds vegetables. True Mexican cuisine incorporates smoked chiles into many extraordinary meals during holiday time and year-round. This meal is more than memorable. It’s different and truly wonderful—one of my favorites.

But I have to say that David Eyre’s pancake breakfast takes a backseat to no other breakfast feast, even though the competition is fierce. Words can barely express the treat you have in store when discovering the Eyre’s Pancake. First, let’s examine a bit of culinary history to fully appreciate the pedigree and taste delights of this special treat.
As the food editor of the New York Times, Craig Claiborne was the first to write about the famous David Eyre’s pancake in 1966. He was attending an informal Sunday brunch at David Eyre’s Japanese-style home in Honolulu. Claiborne tells us that, “Diamond Head was in the distance with a brilliant, palm-ringed sea below and this delicately flavored pancake before us. We seemed to have achieved paradise.”

Current New York Times food editor Amanda Hesser reintroduced Claiborne’s discovery of the Eyre’s pancake in 2007. Hesser tells us through Claiborne’s words, “The batter toasts and swells and envelops the filling, a trifecta riff on popovers, dumplings and bisteeya (Moroccan chicken pie). They deflate like pricked balloons, so their journey from the oven to the table must be quick. Sprinkle them with lemon juice and cilantro as you go.”

Almost 50 years later, here is Claiborne’s original recipe in which he mistakenly includes double the amount of butter. Claiborne casually, without guilt, tells us: “The food editor was in such reverie on his return from Hawaii he did not notice the gremlins in his measuring spoons.”
David Eyre’s Pancake
As originally printed in
The New York Times by Craig Claiborne
Serves 2 to 4

2 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup milk
Pinch ground nutmeg
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Fig or blackberry jam, pear butter or any kind of marmalade for serving (optional).

1. Preheat the oven to 425F. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add flour, milk and nutmeg, and lightly beat until blended but still slightly lumpy.
2. Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with a heatproof handle, if possible, over medium-high heat. When very hot but not brown, pour in the batter. Bake in the oven until the pancake is billowing on the edges and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Working quickly, remove the pan from the oven and using a fine-mesh sieve, sprinkle with the sugar. Return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with jam, pear butter or marmalade.
Please send comments, questions or observations of interest to Chef Alan at [email protected]. For details about past columns, catering or
Chef Zox’s blog, please visit www.zoxkitchen.com.

Filed Under: Chef Alan Zox – Zox’s Kitchen, Food & Leisure, _Slider_