Thyme Pancakes

I believe that after this life, there is a pancake cloud where people eat Canadian style pancakes every morning and then sleep on pillowy pancake pockets every night. In this life, starting the day off with pancakes and bacon is a blessing. I've also been blessed with a few lazy days lately, which is when food ideas come to me.

I like my pancakes light and fluffy. I like a thick batter (lumps don't bother me, Gary and George!) and lots of butter. Fresh garlic and thyme, crispy bacon, garlic mayo and a bit of maple syrup makes this the ultimate savoury pancake breakfast.

1 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg
¾-1 cup milk (depending on how much the flour absorbs)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Fresh sprigs of thyme
Garlic cloves, halved
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Maple syrup

Place dry ingredients in a bowl and make a well in the centre.

Add egg and whisk flour in from the sides.

Gradually add milk, then butter, while whisking.

Heat pan over medium heat. You want the butter to sizzle (so the pancake doesn't just soak up the butter) but not burn, so lower the heat after the first pancake.

Melt a tiny knob of butter in the centre and lay down a sprig or two of thyme.

Spoon pancake batter over the butter and thyme and spread out with the back of the spoon. Turn over when bubbles form on top or when the edges are brown.

Remove from heat and gently rub the cut side of a garlic clove on the pancake.

Repeat! (This recipe will make 5 pancakes.)

If you love your garlic like I do, crush half a clove of garlic and mix with the mayo. If you don't like the strong hit of garlic, fry it gently in the butter before mixing with the mayo.

Serve with crispy bacon and maple syrup.

The mayo is really rich so the maple syrup provides the perfect balance to each bite (I really, really enjoy sweet and savoury in the same dish). I'm also obsessed with fresh thyme right now - so aromatic and so pretty in the pancakes. This is the kind of meal that warms up my winter days.