Blast Your Breakfast

My son loves pancakes.  Who doesn’t?  Anything with “cake” in the name has to be good, right?  But making them, that’s another story.  Whether you are making one or fifty, you still need a bowl, a measuring cup, a spoon or whisk, a ladle, a frying pan and a million paper towels to wipe off the entire counter and stove top from the batter you have splashed in an attempt at flipping the damn things.  (Ok, maybe it’s just me.)

So you can imagine how excited I am when I discover new “instant” pancake mixes.  (I don’t get out much, can you tell?)  Instant is not always so instant, of course.  The instant mixes usually require adding eggs, oil and water.  How is that saving me time, when I have to hunt down the extra ingredients and make sure my fridge is always stocked with eggs?  (Ok, got the water part down, but running to the market for eggs if you’re out, defeats the whole “instant” notion.)

So, leave it to Israel to come up with an “add water” version.  Wow, like those little plastic pegs you drop into water and miraculously turn into dinosaurs or giraffes or pancakes?  Well, not quite that simple, but simple enough.

It’s Kahan’s Instant Pancake Mix.  You just add water and stir, but still have to ladle the right amount of mix, of course, fry and flip.  Now, I know that I can have pancakes ready any time.  Tap water is always on hand and best for us…or so we are told.  No plastic bottles to recycle.  See, so you are even helping the environment. 

Just when I thought I couldn’t be more excited about pancake mix, I happened to stumble upon an even greater invention (now keeping Kahan’s on hand for pancake emergencies).  I discovered Organic Batter Blaster (OU Pareve) at Whole Foods.  I know what you’re thinking, the name doesn’t make it sound so appealing, but it makes for a catchy jingle: “Make better breakfast faster…Batter Blaster.”  (I didn’t make that up…see for yourself @ batterblaster.com and make sure the sound is turned up on your computer when the site loads.)

What’s so great about this one, you ask (besides the jingle)?  I’ll tell you.  There is no need for any additional ingredient or dishes, just a frying pan (flipping still required, though).  Batter Blaster is convenient in a whipped cream-like spray, where you simply squeeze out the mix onto a greased frying pan.  (Sounds appetizing?)  Figuring out the right amount or shape to squeeze out is a little tricky, though, so the first or second, third or fifteenth pancake won’t be perfect, but walla…eventually you’ll get the hang of it, and create instant spray pancakes. (Just don’t confuse the whip cream with the pancake mix or things could get messy as you top off your ready cakes)

Now, my son enjoys pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner…poor guy, until they create instant mac and cheese in a spray can, of course.  I will keep you posted when I hear of anything.