It’s hard to resist the fluffy allure of this favoured breakfast food, and apparently we’re not the only ones: Here’s a look at how pancakes are enjoyed in eight places around the world.
United States: Buttermilk
In the states, they tend to be purists, flocking to the breakfast table for fluffy stacks of thick buttermilk pancakes, topped with butter, syrup and maybe a bit of fruit – if they’re feeling fancy.
Austria: Kaiserschmarrn
Kaiserschmarrn are to pancakes what scrambled eggs are to omelets. This Austrian comfort food is made with sugar, eggs and flour, which is then fried in butter and scrambled into bite-size perfection. Kaiserschmarrn is usually topped with fresh fruit and powdered sugar.
Europe: Blintz
Over in Europe, locals take their love for thin pancakes to the next level by stuffing them with delicious fillings like cheese or fruit.
Australia: Pikelets
How cute are these? Pikelets are how Aussies get down on pancakes, and these mini versions are just as fluffy but not as sweet as a buttermilk pancake. Pikelets are typically served with sugar, butter, cream or fruit during afternoon tea.
France: Crepes
The French crepe is a thin pancake, often served plain or with toppings like cream, fruit or powdered sugar.
Korea: Jeon
Korea’s take on the pancake combines a flour and water base with ingredients like kimchi, green onions or meat for a more savoury pancake. Served in smaller portions as a side dish or a large pancake as an entree, jeon is usually enjoyed with a local fermented rice wine known as makgeolli.
Japan: Okonomiyaki
Japan also prefers a heartier, more savoury pancake. Okonomiyaki is a grilled pancake made with a flour and dashi batter, combined with cabbage, onion, pork or beef and toppings like mayonnaise and seaweed.
India: Uttapam
India’s uttapam is a thick pancake made with a dal and rice batter, which is then mixed with savoury ingredients like tomatoes and chillies to create the fluffy uttapam.
(Main image: AimeePlesa)