2. In another mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs.

3. Slowly pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients while gently stirring and mix just until combined. (Don’t over-mix or you will activate the gluten in the flour and the pancakes will be chewy, like bread, instead of fluffy). The mixture will be a little lumpy (and that’s okay. If you have pockets of flour bigger than a dime, smash them against the side of the bowl to break them apart without having to stir the batter more). Pour in the melted butter and gently mix just until incorporated. (Sometimes melted butter solidifies when added to cold ingredients. Adding it now helps it disperse evenly in the batter and smooth out some of the lumps).

4. Place a griddle (See Love Note 2) or wide (preferably 14-inch) sauté pan over medium heat for several minutes. If using an electric griddle, set the heat to 350 °F.

5. Sprinkle griddle with a few drops of water; they should bounce around before evaporating. If they sizzle away quickly, the heat is too high. If they just sit there and slowly steam, the heat is too low. When the griddle is properly heated, brush with clarified butter or oil, then wipe with a paper towel so it’s evenly greased. (Big spots of oil or butter will promote uneven browning and your pancakes will have dark and light spots. Even if you have a non-stick griddle I wouldn’t skip this step.)

6. Use a 4-ounce ladle (See Love Note 3) to pour several 5- or 6-inch pools of batter onto the griddle, about an inch or two apart.

7. Evenly drop 2 tablespoons huckleberries in each pancake as it cooks, before flipping.

8. Cook until bubbles begin to pop on the surface of the pancakes, the edges look a little dry, and the underside is golden, about 2 minutes (Try not to flip before they’re ready, because the more you flip the cakes back and forth the less fluffy they will be). Flip them over and continue cooking until pancakes are cooked through, about 1 minute more. (If the undersides of the pancakes are browning or burning before the surface of pancakes get a chance to form bubbles and dry out, the heat is too high. If it’s taking much longer than 2 or 3 minutes for the bubbles to form, the heat is too low).

9. Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep pancakes warm on a heat-safe platter or baking sheet in the oven.

10. Serve topped with softened or whipped butter and maple syrup.

Love Notes:

1. While some people like their pancakes thick and rib-sticking, I like my pancakes thin and light so they won’t sit in my stomach like a lump. But everyone’s got an opinion, Try cooking up two pancakes and see how you like them. If you want yours a little thicker, stir in ½ cup to 1 cup more flour.

2. Old-fashioned ovens often had griddles built right in to the cook top. That’s not a common feature in ranges these days. Luckily there are many different griddles you can buy to put on your stove, from heavy cast iron to lightweight nonstick aluminum. Some sit on just one burner, some are elongated to stretch across two, or there are electric models that plug in, sit on the countertop, and allow you to set a precise temperature.

3. Ladles come in all sorts of standard sizes, from 1-ounce to 12-ounce, which helps measure as you serve. At Mother’s we use a 6-ounce ladle, which holds about ¾ cup of batter. That makes a big, plate-sized pancake, but it’s likely too big to be practical at home. Instead use a 4-ounce (1/2 cup) ladle, which makes 6-inch pancakes. To find out how many ounces your ladle is, fill it with water, pour water into a measuring cup, and read the results. If you don’t have a ladle that’s the right size, use a dry measuring cup to scoop the batter. 

Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a sheet pan. Boil water and sugar together until it begins to carmelize and it is browned but not burned. Pour over hazelnuts and let cool.

Once cool, chop by hand or in a Cuisinart until mixture is fine.

French Toast:

Layer Vanilla Ricotta Stuffing between two slices of bread and dip in egg wash until wet and coated. Cook in a pan as you would with regular French Toast.

Garnish with orange and enjoy!

In each of two omelet pans heat 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. When bubbly add eggs. Cover and turn down heat. When eggs are set, spoon vegetable mix onto half of each omelet. Divide salmon between omelets and place on vegetable mix. Dividing cheese spread evenly, drop by spoonfuls onto the salmon. Gently lift the other half of the omelet and fold over. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Slip omelets onto warm plates and serve with fried, seasoned Yukon Gold potatoes. Enjoy!

Serve the salad at room temperature, accompanied by some shaved or grated aged sheep’s milk cheese or imported Basque cheese called Ossau-Iraty or Spanish Manchego cheese. Serve with crusty bread or crisp crackers.

Place the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet in a 325° oven for about 3 or 4 minutes. When hazelnuts are golden and aromatic, remove and allow to cool before chopping them coarsely.

Core, peel and slice pear.

To assemble salad, toss the mesclun greens with the half of the vinaigrette. Divide the greens among four salad plates, piling them high in the center. Divide the pear slices among the four plates, arranging them around the mesclun. Sprinkle each salad with the blue cheese and then the chopped hazelnuts, then drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette as needed.