School holidays - Day 9: Brunch

I had entertained thoughts of writing an ode to brunch, but I'm adjusting to daylight saving time and want to keep this brief.

What is it about brunch that I find so attractive?

1. It usually means I have been permitted to sleep late, rather than being woken rudely by hordes of demanding offspring (all two of them, but it seems like hordes when they jump all over me in the morning before I've had coffee) who want breakfast - NOW!
   
2. It means I don't need to be anywhere before noon. Not being a morning person, this is always a good start to the day.
3. It means I can eliminate one meal preparation time for the day. Brunch in this house is not followed by a proper lunch. Oh no! It replaces breakfast and lunch. You may get afternoon tea if you're lucky. You know where the fruit bowl is - help yourself.
4. I generally dislike food prep & cooking. A lot. But there's something about brunch food that's not too bad. It's probably more to do with the fact that it can be fairly simple, and it's not rushed. And it can involve just a little bit of decadence.
5. I make what I want, and generously offer the same to the rest of the family. There is no optional menu.
   

This morning (I think it was still this morning, but we hadn't changed all the clocks at that stage, so it may have slipped into early afternoon by the time we finished), we had pancakes with caramelised banana. The small people opted for maple syrup. The husband passed on the pancakes and made himself some eggs on English muffins. And there was coffee, freshly ground in the Thermomix :)

This is the simplest pancake recipe in the world, from my Grandpa, and I haven't yet had a fancy one to beat it.

Grandpa's pancakes

Arise late from slumber. Swan out into the kitchen and ask the children to get out self raising flour, eggs and milk.

Mix 1 cup flour, 1 egg & 1 cup milk (or more, in the same ratio, depending on how many you're feeding). Leave the children to continue mixing as long as they feel like it while you shower and dress in peace.

Heat a small amount of butter in a frypan, and pour in batter, preferably in different amounts to make tiny, medium & HUGE pancakes, as this seems to give the children a thrill. Try to make odd shapes for the same reason. As bubbles appear on the top of each pancake, flip over to cook other side. Make the children line up with their plates as you cook each batch, or keep them warm in the oven (the pancakes, not the children) so you can eat together.

Doesn't get much easier :)