Oh, hello -- remember me?? I used to be the girl who would cook and happily snap photos along the way, and then stop to "reflect" and blog about it afterwards. Only, something happened to me over these past couple of months...and between work, traveling and life, I decided that picking up a camera with flour-covered hands, two fryer pans madly sizzling on the burner, and a timer beeping away in the background may not be in my best interest after all!

So I did away with rushed photos and painfully composed words (yo no soy un escritor), and did what normal people do -- cook, eat, and relax. And yes, it was glorious :)



So what's up with these lemon-ricotta pancake photos and new blog post?? Well, turns out I'm borderline abnormal (surprise, surprise) because I sometimes enjoy documenting my food experiences and recipes. Especially when they are good...and this one is pretty darn good.



AC and I are not usually breakfast people, and I hadn't made pancakes in yeeaaaars -- but it was Mother's Day weekend. And even though AC's parents live in Seoul and my parents were traipsing around South Africa on vacation...it's the thought that counts, right? ;)

In all honesty, we made these because we had about 3 ginormous lbs of lemons from my grandfather's meyer lemon tree that my parents had dropped off before leaving for Africa a couple of weeks ago. Half of them had already begun to spoil -- and the inner Chinese in me was definitely not going to let the rest go to waste. Plus, after walking by Bette's Oceanview Diner the other day and "bird-dogging" (as AC puts it) platefuls and platefuls of beautiful breakfast combinations, I suddenly felt inspired. So lemon-ricotta pancakes it was!



Mind you, these aren't just normal pancakes. Eggs whites that have been whipped to a meringue are then folded into a creamy ricotta mixture to create a texture that's incredibly light and fluffy. They're almost like mini souffles -- ethereal, creamy and delicate. For those looking for a perfect Mother's Day treat, these bright lemon-scented clouds won't disappoint. Just make sure to invite your mothers... :D

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Adapted from Gourmet, September 1991

4 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups ricotta
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
melted butter for brushing the griddle
maple syrup and fresh berries as an accompaniment

In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the ricotta, the sugar, and the zest, add the flour, and stir the mixture until it is just combined. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the ricotta mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with some of the melted butter. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/4-cup measures and cook the pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, brushing the griddle with some of the melted butter as necessary. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven.

Serve the pancakes with fresh berries and maple syrup.