CORE MEMORIES: CAKE

Someone recently asked me to name my first core cake memory.

If you’re reading this, you’re likely one of those people with loads of core memories from the kitchen. Or perhaps you’re determined to make some! I have loved cake for as long as I can remember, but if I dig deep into my archive of core memories, they all start in the kitchen of my hometown, Mount Jackson, Virginia…flipping pancakes.

In my childhood kitchen, making pancakes for my family.

Two activities on Saturday mornings have cemented themselves in my core memory bank: the dough for my dad’s whole wheat rolls rising on the cast iron radiator, and a full bowl of his pancake mix ready for breakfast.

My dad had a fantastic iron skillet that he’d start heating up as soon as he knew my brother and I were coming down the stairs. He’d show us how a few drops of water on the hot skillet would let us know it was time to pour the batter. If the water beaded and danced around the surface, it was ready. By the age of 5, my dad had me flipping pancakes for the whole family. We’d even make one or two small pancakes for our family dog, Nutmeg.

Any chance my brother gets to tell my kids about my childhood, he’ll bring up the fact that I could eat 9 or 10 pancakes in one sitting as a kid. I LOVED pancakes (and still do!). These weren’t just any pancakes; they were homemade pumpernickel pancakes loaded with whole grains. I’d douse them in pure maple syrup, and they were absolutely delicious!

I loved the autonomy of flipping them all by myself and the thrill of doing it over a real-life hot skillet. Those memories will live in my mind forever. Nowadays, I have a canister labeled “Grandpa’s Pancake Mix” in my pantry; my dad makes a batch of mix for my kids every 3-4 weeks.

Not only is this a core memory from my childhood, but I believe it instilled in me the absolute joy that is created in the kitchen. There’s joy in making anything from scratch, and there’s even more joy in sharing it with others. It’s those simple, shared moments that turn everyday experiences into lasting memories.