When You’re in the Mood for a Story
- about -
Granny Cakes
Gran's pancakes never seemed to end up looking like pancakes. Instead of symmetrical disks of a circular fashion, they were other shapes—amoebas, glob monsters, sometimes a boot; or, if you were lucky, you could make out the shapes of states or continents or other places of interest. Australia was the most frequently created it seemed, but it was a good day when you got Africa—it meant you got the biggest pancake!
“I don’t have time for perfection,” Gran would always say as she plopped the golden globby batter onto her ancient, sizzling cast iron skillet.
“Why would I care what they look like since they taste like heaven?” Gramps would always reply.
Regardless of their shape, all the fluffy, steaming creations were surrounded by crispy, golden edges begging to be picked up and nibbled before the syrup was applied. Of all her grandkids, Gran’s youngest, Hibiscus, enjoyed her pancakes the most.
Hibiscus Honey Harrington, or “Hibs” to all who knew her well, was named after a craving. Hibs’s mother, Harriet, would tell tales of how, when she was expecting Hibs, she would get a severe hankering for hibiscus tea with a generous spoonful of honey mixed in. It was like clockwork—every morning and every afternoon, even in the sweltering heat of August, Hibs’s mother would be found sipping her concoction with a satisfied sigh.
“The baby likes it,” Harriet had said. And so, when the baby girl was born into the world, it seemed only natural to name her after the two things she had wanted most in-utero. “You’re the only baby who named herself,” Harriet liked to joke.
Given her love for pancakes and tea, it was no surprise that Hibiscus Honey Harrington became a chef and opened a restaurant. She wanted her patrons to have the warm, cozy feeling like she experienced in her Gran’s kitchen all those mornings growing up. So, after years of schooling and practice, Granny Cakes was opened. And now, Gran had gone to the angels, and Harriet and Herbert Harrington were off traveling the world in their retirement, and Hibiscus was left to run her little diner in her sleepy hometown of Zoetsville.
Hibs carried on the tradition of not trying to keep her pancakes in perfect circles. The local paper claimed, “Granny Cakes are the ugliest and most delicious pancakes you’ll ever eat.” Hibs took that as high praise. She offered twelve different varieties of oddly shaped flapjacks:
1. Granny Cake’s Signature Sourdough—so tangy and tender, it seemed almost a crime to use a knife
2. Buttermilk—a classic vessel for syrups in any flavor
3. Crepe Cakes—thin enough that customers could eat a dozen before noticing they were full
4. Pumpkin—Hibs kept these year-round; how could she not with the demand they brought
5. Blueberry—the kids loved how the berries would burst and stain their plates
6. Chocolate Chip—the kids liked these even more, for obvious reasons
7. Whole Wheat—the best choice if you needed breakfast to stick with you until lunch
8. Banana Oatmeal—for those with a sweet tooth; just shake on some powdered sugar and enjoy
9. Malted Barley—the depth of the barley and the smokiness of the malt made for a sophisticated combination—of which many a customer had come to acquire
10. Apple-Cinnamon—made you feel like you were allowed to eat pie for breakfast
11. Dutch Baby—it took forever to bake when you were impatiently hungry, but it puffed to the size of a basketball and one bite reminded you it was worth the wait
12. Potato and Rye—for those who craved a savory selection, classically served with a side of applesauce.
And, of course, she served tea.
Yes, floral hibiscus tea was on the menu, along with a bright jasmine green and a smoky, nutty vanilla rooibos. Then, if you needed a little caffeine, the menu offered the standard crisp English Breakfast, peppery Earl Grey, and buttery sweet Black Currant to round out the selections. And every table had a large container of honey, just in case.
And that was it. Tea and pancakes (with the odd strip of bacon or link of sausage, and of course, strong black coffee). If you wanted your scones or your frittata or your eggs over-easy, you went elsewhere. But no one ever did, because the thought of going a week without a Granny Cake was, well, unthinkable.
The diner was so popular, in fact, that the producer of “The Golden Griddle” TV show got wind of it. And rumor had it, the show’s host—Maisie Marvelle—was going to be coming all the way to Zoetsville to film an episode of The Golden Griddle at Granny Cakes!