I don’t know about you, but mornings in my house are pretty rushed. Although I believe a good night’s sleep is a cure-all, I am not yet among the early-to-bed, early-to-rise folk. Therefore, coffee is my crutch: every single morning. Here’s the crazy thing, though. Although coffee has been one of my favorite flavor profiles since I was little, I usually can’t taste my morning coffee.

It’s not that my coffee is tasteless; it’s just that it’s the last thing I’m focusing on when I’m trying to get everyone out in one piece, in a short window of time. (There’s no need for it to be so short, I know. But, you know, spring fever. And it gets dark late. And I hate waking up tired, sleeping children, and honestly, we’re eight months into the school year and that extra-early alarm clock that worked in October is now crying for attention.) So in all of the rush, the last thing I’m focusing on is the taste of my coffee.

Last week, my early-riser nine-year-old made a coffee for me before I came downstairs, which was truly heartwarming. And you know how kids are, they watch to make sure you’re enjoying the food they made with their own blood, sweat, and tears, which I was, diligently, until she asked me if the coffee was good. I had no answer.

It’s okay that the taste of my morning coffee slides to the bottom of the totem pole; it’s one less thing to get distracted by. But I don’t carry that sentiment with me throughout the rest of my day. These long days are made for a healthy focus, which is not a contradiction to delicious. So savor, don’t rush.

CHANIE NAYMAN
Food Editor, Family Table

Pancakes Are for Birthdays

This recipe, which is originally from the Spice and Spirit cookbook (reprinted with permission), with slight adaptations, is high and fluffy, sweet but not too sweet, and super easy.

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk (I use whole milk)
• 2½ Tbsp oil or melted butter, plus more for frying
• 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

Beat eggs lightly with a fork. Then add remaining wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients, and mix with a fork until the batter is lumpy. Lightly fry pancakes on either side in a tablespoon or so of butter.

Dry Hack

I use this dry ingredient hack whenever a recipe calls for mixing the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Carefully place all dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients. Using a fork, incorporate the other dry ingredients into the flour before mixing it into the wet ingredients.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 743)