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www.groovekorea.com / February 2014 46 FOOD & DRInK Edited by Josh Foreman (joshforeman@groovekorea.com) It was a frigid day outside when I found myself in High Street Market, gazing at happy agrarian scenes of sunshine and green grass dancing across a box of cereal, wondering if I’d ever feel warm again. Suddenly, a pair of very cute girls in ear- muffs sidled up next to me and pronounced in awe, “Oh my god it’s BISQUICK. We can make pancakes! It’s been so long since I’ve had one!” They giggled, snatched a box and headed to the checkout while I stood behind them agape — because, friends, you don’t need Bisquick for pancakes. Or for anything, really. Pancakes are one of those food items that never needed a convenience product version, yet for some reason has one. Just like yogurt and peanut butter sandwiches, they’re already convenient. A measure of flour, water and a dash of leavening poured onto a hot skillet will yield a fantastic batch of pancakes in no time at all. But armed with a spatula, you can march off into a Bisquick-free world and eat pancakes every da y of the week, even in Korea. This recipe is the bare bones, stripped-down, basic pancake with no frou frou additions, but oh man, the opportunities for customization are infinite. You can stir almost anything into the batter to make Pancakes à la you, from cranberries to apples to bananas, a handful of almonds or coconut or chocolate chips, or a big dollop of peanut butter and a dash of cinnamon. You can do a healthy version with whole wheat flour, flax seeds and agave nectar, or you can even go totally nuts and make them savory — omit the sugar and stir in some green onions for a cool twist. For your toppings, spring for a small bottle of maple syrup at the foreign mart, use a smear of fruit jam or sour cream, or make your own caramel sauce. The combinations are endless, and guaranteed to be better than Bisquick. It’s pancake time! About the writer: Shelley DeWees worked as a vegan chef for a Buddhist monastery before moving to Seoul. She is a columnist for Groove Korea. Her opinions do not neccesarily refect those of the magazine. See her website, www.seoulveggiekitchen.com. — Ed. Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes! sEOUL VEGGIE KITChEn Column and Photos by Shelley DeWees