#COOKING WITH CLORIS--MYSTERY AUTHOR MARTHA CRITES WHIPS UP SOURDOUGH PANCAKES AND A MOODY PACIFIC NORTHWEST MYSTERY

Martha Crites is a mental health counselor from Seattle, Washington and the author of two mystery novel, set in the moody Pacific Northwest. Both feature mental health evaluator Grace Vaccaro. Learn more about Martha and her books at her website.

Pancakes Heal All Wounds

At the beginning of Danger to Others, Grace Vaccaro is struggling with the death of her mother and the aftermath of a dangerous evaluation. Grace’s daughter steps up, believing that food, especially pancakes (and bacon) can heal all wounds. Throughout the story, feeding people pancakes becomes an inside joke to signify care for others. 

 

Ironically, I have never liked pancakes—until retirement and Washington State’s pandemic lockdown happened for me at the same time. I was glad to be working on my second mystery, but after a couple hours in the chair, I needed a change. I found an opportunity to volunteer from home by jumping on the sourdough baking bandwagon that became so popular. My husband and I donated professional quality bread (yes, it took a lot of practice and yes, a diet followed) to Seattle’s food banks. Check out the nonprofit, Community Loaves, that has organized 865 volunteers and donated 57,000 loaves of sourdough.

 

The thing about sourdough is that you need to feed it regularly and that only uses a bit of your starter. People who don’t like to waste soon have a large jar of what they call discard and begin searching for ways to use it. Like pancakes. Sourdough pancakes were a revelation to me. They are tangy and light. They just might heal all wounds. Here’s a recipe I’ve been working on.

 

Sourdough Pancakes 

This recipe uses a lot of sourdough discard which is a good thing for me. The baking soda neutralizes acid, so the pancakes have a nice tang without being sour. I like to serve them with a spoon of plain yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup and some chopped nuts. Go ahead and use butter if that’s your preference. 

 

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups starter

2 eggs

1-1/2 T olive oil

3/4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

 

Wisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add the sourdough starter and dry ingredients. Stir well. 

 

Preheat a cast iron skillet to medium heat. High heat makes the center mushy. Wipe with a lightly oiled paper towel before each batch. Measure 1/4-cup of batter into pan, as many as will fit. Watch for the tops to show bubbles and lose their shine, flip, then enjoy. Make a big batch because they freeze well. 

Danger to Others

In a late Pacific Northwest autumn, a young woman says she killed her therapist. Psychiatric evaluator Grace Vaccaro suspects it’s delusion until the woman escapes from a psychiatric unit. The search to bring her back forces Grace to face her personal demons, including mental illness in her own family. Grace’s search leads to the Seattle music scene, an abandoned mental hospital in the North Cascades and a group of cloistered nuns on a remote island. Watch for pancakes as you read.

 

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