As a South African living in the Balkans, my culinary adventures have taken me to unexpected places filled with diverse flavours and delightful dishes. And speaking of the American pancakes, we did not grow up eating them. These came along with travel, social media and television. While pancakes are universally adored, each culture interprets them uniquely; and it’s fascinating to draw parallels and distinctions between how South Africans and the Balkans view American pancakes.

The charm of American pancakes

American pancakes are fluffy, thick and often stacked high, drizzled with maple syrup and crowned with butter. This is how they are represented on social media and many around the world have followed suit with this representation.

In South Africa, pancakes are typically thin crepes eaten either plain, filled with cinnamon sugar or savoury fillings such as ham and cheese (we grew up having them plain for breakfast) So, South Africans think of pancakes as a quick treat for breakfast or just in an informal setting, while the American pancake seems to invoke a sense of novelty and indulgence.

The Balkans and South Africans view pancakes in a similar light, though in the Balkans pancakes are more for dessert, filled with fruit and other fillings. You may also have them savoury, but more usually sweet. For Balkan pancakes, this recipe here is all you need Pancakes (Palačinke)

I therefore believe the idea of the American pancake is similar to both South Africans and the Balkans, that there’s a sense of intrigue about their heft and sweetness. It’s no doubt, however, that as the world grows smaller, food like American pancakes become more accepted by many cultures.

Tips for top fluffy, perfect pancakes

I’ve been making this recipe for over 6 years and they have come out perfect all the time. These are tips to ensure fluffy, soft and beautiful pancakes.

Do not overmix the batter.
Leave the batter lumpy
If the batter seems too thick, add a bit of milk to loosen it up
This recipe is perfect for mini pancakes as well