It’s Monday. It’s raining (what’s new). Enough said. One of the ways I tend to cope with challenging and drab weekdays such as today is to pretend it’s still the weekend. AKA let’s re-hash the funny and memorable moments from our bygone weekend holiday. This kind of game makes Mondays all the more bearable…

How was your weekend? Did you dress up for Hallowe’en? A funny moment for me over the weekend was when I got to hang out with Grumpy Cat on Friday night. Oh, and I had a great time wandering around the Hotel Vancouver by her side as a jellyfish! I have to say though it was hard to get in character. What does a jellyfish do other than just.. float!? What a boring buddy for Grumpy Cat to have (needless to say she wasn’t so impressed). Did you pick a bizarre costume as well?

In light of the reflective musings above, today’s recipe is reminiscent of my favourite kind of relaxing, slow-paced weekend breakfast.. Alright let’s just call that kind of meal brunch. Brunch: a leisurely late-morning-breakfast (with a mandatory side of hashbrowns) that tends to involve spicy caesars and really ridiculous friend-banter.. let’s just agree that in an Average Joe’s week calendar, brunch is probably the #1 meal to look forward to in his/her week. Wouldn’t you agree?

So—To kick your week off right, here is one of the best brunch recipes I can throw your way. A rich and flavourful buttery pancake recipe that can be whisked together in a pinch! Just pull out your iron skillet and mix together some flour, baking powder etc. It’s such an easy recipe. But what makes it different than your average white flour and buttermilk pancake recipe, you ask? Well, these pancakes grill to be delightfully aromatic with a blend of seasonal spices (cinnamon, allspice and ginger), and have that fluffy centre/ crispy exterior combo that you just can’t beat in the art of pancake baking. Like how it sounds so far? Well, say goodbye to those Monday blues. Now you have something to look forward to for brunch next weekend.. Monday, pshhh we hardly knew ya.

I found this recipe tucked away in the inner contents of one of my favourite cookbooks, The SoBo Cookbook of Tofino, BC. Have you ever been to Tofino? Tofino is a tiny but stunning city on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Some might say it’s the last stop due-west on the trans-Canada highway. Tofino is a land of conifers, stormy surf, and expansive white sand beaches. Oh and rain. It’s a land of freaky rain. So of course it’s suitable to pick a rainy-city’s recipe for today’s rainy-day post, right!?

The SoBo Cookbook features recipes from one of Tofino’s most beloved restaurants, the SoBo (..yes that’s its name as well.) The restaurant actually has a pretty interesting story! SoBo began as a purple food truck run by two locals near a popular surf spot in Tofino. Soon the food truck became nationally acolladed by Canada’s En Route Magazine which expanded the food truck’s popularity past its usual surfer and localite clientelle and into the radar of tourists and out-of-town Canadian-folk like you and me! So needless to say my dear, If you’re in Tofino, a stop at the SoBo Restaurant is a must (Alas it’s no longer a purple truck). Maybe you should pick up your own copy of the SoBo Cookbook?? If you make it to the restaurant, here’s a hint: try their fish tacos! :)

Golden Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

**Note: NO pumpkins are in this recipe! Just spices :)

Yield: 10 pancakes (enough for 4-6 people) Time: 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup whole golden or brown flaxseeds
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1.2 tsp salt
1 egg plus 1 egg white
2 1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp molasses
wedge of butter for skillet

Directions:

1. Combine both flours with the flaxseeds, baking powder, spices and salt in a lare mixing bowl. Incorporate them with a wire whisk. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg, egg white, milk, butter and molassess and whisk until frothy, about 2 minutes.

2. Make a well in the centre of the dry mix, then pour in the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. (It’s fine if there are still some lumps.)

3. Dollop a wedge of butter in a preheated iron skillet, or your favourite pancake pan (set to medium heat) until butter is evenly distributed throughout. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter onto the frying pan for each pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes  or until bubbled form on top and the edges of the pancakes start to crinkle. Flut pancakes carefully and cook the second side for 2-3 minutes.

Recipe Credit: The SoBo Cookbook. Written by Lisa Ahier and Andrew Morrison.

 I hope you have a fantastic week full of cozy (read: dry) moments away from this monsoon we’ve been having in Vancouver, and a leisurely meal ideally enjoyed in the company of some good friends. :)

PS: It feels great to write on Blue Owl again. I’ve been missing you!

PPS: Interesting fact: the acronym SoBo from our cookbook-of-choice today stands for “Sophisticated Bohemian”. I was pretty surprised to learn that— I mean would you ever think to use the word sophisticated to describe anything related to the blustery and wild city of Tofino that we love so dearly? Pretty hilarious if you ask me!.. :)

PPPS: Tropical Jack-O-Lanterns