Pancakes as Prepared in 1802

 

The Art of Cookery: Made Easy & Refined was first published in 1802 by John Mollard. It is an excellent resource for preparing pastries and meats especially. The author was a well regarded cook in his day and made it known in his publication that he was one of the owners of the famous Freemason's Tavern which fed numerous notable individuals and organizations since 1775. John Mollard published his book The Art of Cookery in London however this recipe is common for the period among Englishmen and Americans alike.

The Freemason's Tavern as pictured in 1800

We will be preparing a simple breakfast dish which had been popular from the time of the Ancient Romans. These pancakes are noticeably unsweet which is great for those who are sensitive to sweet tastes. In fact, sugar is not a part of the batter at all! The option is given instead to sprinkle sugar (or in my case, cinnamon) on top. You may also spread your favorite fruit preserves over them.

This preparation is suitable for around 10 thin pancakes. I would recommend this serving for one individual. If you are seeking to prepare your pancakes for the mouths of two or three simply double or triple your ingredients. 

Pour 1.75 cups of all-purpose flour into your mixing bowl. 

To this flour add a teaspoon of nutmeg and a generous pinch of salt. Also add a dash of either cream or whole milk. Reduced fat milk wool work also but cream is best. 

In a separate bowl whisk together 8 whole eggs.

Now we shall incorporate this egg mixture into our batter. Pour the eggs into your batter and stir well.

Mix until everything is well incorporated. 

Meanwhile, melt a tablespoon of butter onto your skillet. This will prevent the pancakes from sticking.

Now that your batter is well mixed and your skillet is hot with melted butter pour one heaping spoonful at a time and watch carefully. These cook fast. If you have a mold pour your batter into it, otherwise do not worry about the shape of your pancakes. We can trim them later. Over a hot fire only a few minutes per side is necessary. Flip them halfway through to brown both sides. 

This batter tends to run. Once your pancakes are done you may trim off unsightly edges with a knife to create an appealing round shape. Cover with cinnamon, sugar or a mixture of these two. Fruit preserves are also a smart choice. 

If the above Youtube video does not work follow this link:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-xd03MnAvI&feature=youtu.be

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 1.75 cups

Salt: a generous pinch

Grated nutmeg: a teaspoon 

Eggs: 8 whole eggs

Cream or Milk: 5 tablespoons 

Unsalted butter: one tablespoon

Directions: 

Mix your salt and nutmeg to 1.75 cups of flour. In a separate bowl whisk together 8 whole eggs. Combine your wet ingredients with your dry and mix well until incorporated. Melt your butter on a hot skillet to prevent your pancakes from sticking. Add your batter one large dollop at a time to form one pancake. Cook on each side for 3 minutes until browned. Remove your done pancake from your skillet and repeat until your batter is all used. Spread cinnamon, sugar or a mixture of the two on top of each pancake. You may use fruit preserves instead.