The History of Hotcakes

While we didn't flip the original hotcake, we'd like to think we've help them evolve into the cravable breakfast they are today.

Learn more about the history of hotcakes.

Interview #2 - Tips for Making Great Hotcakes

Part 2 of our Interview with Senior Development Chef Brian Murphy

Q: How long does it take to make the hotcakes?
A: Six to seven minutes

Q: How many hotcakes are there in one Stacked and Stuffed stack?
A: Two, and I guarantee you’ll be full when you’re done!

Q: How much does each stack usually weigh?
A: 23-26 oz. depending on the flavor.

Q: Do you have any tips for customers who make hotcakes at home?
A:

1. Use water 55 degrees or colder.
2. Don’t over-mix your batter. “Lumps are good.”
3. Don’t keep batter for longer than 24 hours.
4. Refrigerate batter in between use.
   
   All of these tips have to do with leavening. When you over-mix, add warm water or let the batter sit too long, you create heat in the batter that destroys the leavening and gives you a tough/chewy hotcake instead of a fluffy one. Also, when you flip your hotcake to cook the opposite side, don’t give it a “love tap.” That subconscious tap will “knock the love right out of it.”
   

Q: What completes the ultimate Stacked and Stuffed Hotcake?
A: Sausage links and coffee; don’t laugh! This is the gourmet coming out in me. The acidity of the coffee contrasts the sweetness and the savory taste and spice of the sausage is a nice complement for the sweet flavor too.

Pancake Video

Cool hotcake video.

If you want to see your Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes pictures or video on our blog, upload to Flickr or YouTube with the tag "bobevans."

Yum

Because we knew folks would be itching to snag the recipe for our new hotcakes line, we went straight to the mastermind behind the sweetness, Brian Murphy – the senior development chef who created the idea of Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes. (We'll post the recipe tomorrow - so check back)

In a series of interviews with Brian, you’ll learn how to make your own stack at home, how he created the hotcakes, what it's like to be a senior development chef at Bob Evans and tips for making great hotcakes.

(I tried all three flavors this morning, wow! They're good!)

Sweet Details

We're excited to kick off our new hotcake line in the blogosphere and more excited to share the sweet details about our new hotcakes and the chef who created them. While we've been in business for more than 50 years, we're new to the blogosphere, and we'd love to hear your feedback and tips/criticisms on our style, topics, etc.

To start, my name is JC. I work on the communications team here, and I'll be your inside look at Bob Evans Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes and our partnership with our hometown affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. (We've heeded the warnings of Seth Godin, Peter Davidson, Shel Israel, Shel Holtz and many more about product blogs so I won't be ghost writing for our Roasted Caramel Apple Cream hotcake about its adventure through the magical grill line to the powdered sugar palace.)

A quick preview of what's to come: tips for making your own Stacked and Stuffed hotcakes, an at home, do-it yourself recipe for Stacked and Stuffed hotcakes, interviews with our Senior Development Chef Brian Murphy who created the product, updates on the eBay auction and our Habitat affiliate partnership and pics/video from you eating and talking about our Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes. Just post your pictures on Flickr and videos on YouTube with the tag "bobevans" (we'll find them and post them on the blog) or e-mail them to blog@bobevans.com. Check back, I'll post a few times a week with new info/pictures/videos.