Buttermilk Pancakes

This makes four nice pancakes. Multiply the quantities to get to however many you're going to want. If you beat the batter for too long, you'll get tough pancakes—keep it light.

• 4 oz. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Add the egg, buttermilk, and butter; stir this together but lightly; don't worry about leaving it lumpy—the pancakes will be fluffier with a few lumps in the batter. The batter should be quite thick. You should do this a wee bit in advance and let the batter rest for a few minutes until you're ready to make your pancakes.

Preheat and lightly butter a large skillet or griddle.

Drop quarter-cup ladles of the batter onto the cooking surface, spreading it gently with the bottom of the ladle. Cook each one until it's bubbling on the surface and browned on the top, then flip it over and give it a couple more minutes. Add more butter to the skillet between pancakes.

As they come out of the pan, keep the pancakes warm until you're ready to serve them all.

Serve them just as they are or adorn each one with a slice of smoked salmon.