There is a new show this year featuring the actor and comedian Eugene Levy. Surprisingly, it’s a travel show, called The Reluctant Traveler. It’s not supposed to be a comedy, per se, but how could it not be, with deadpan comments and narration from Levy.
At the beginning of the show, which airs on Apple TV, Mr. Levy proceeds to basically tell us that he doesn’t like heat or cold, heights, exotic food, but more than that, he doesn’t really like to leave his house. Then the camera pans out and shows him standing in deep snow in a forest in Finland! He’s definitely challenged in the various episodes, with different, and extreme destinations, but he’s also enlightened and educated. And fortunately he stays at very nice hotels.
In the 4th episode, Mr. Levy visits Utah. His hotel is the Amangiri, a 5-star resort in Canyon Point, basically in the desert. This hotel is an Aman hotel. Based on our stay at the Amangani outside of Jackson Hole in Wyoming, I highly recommend this hotel group.
At breakfast one morning, Mr. Levy chats with the hotel’s Chef Anthony Marazita, who mentions his famous pancake, and claims that it’s known as the Best Pancake Recipe in the World. It’s round and puffed, fluffy and almost caramelized, served with fruit.
When I googled the recipe, I found an article on the online newsletter called Galavante. (More info on Galavante below.) To find out the secret ingredient in the chef’s recipe, you had to email them, which I did. I’m sharing the recipe because obviously it’s available to whomever wants it. The secret ingredient is…….. Mexican coke!
I really had no idea if this was a real thing or not, but I found this: American Coke is made with high-fructose corn syrup and Mexican Coke is crafted with cane sugar. Cane sugar is less processed than high-fructose corn syrup, so it offers a more natural — some would say purer or more clean-tasting — version of the drink.
My pancakes didn’t quite turn out like what I saw on the tv show. They weren’t dark and “almost caramelized.” Obviously my oven didn’t get as hot as the chef’s wood fire-burning oven, but I can tell you that this texture is unique and fabulous!
The Best Pancake in the World
Dry Mix
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
Wet Mix
2 whole eggs
3 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 ounces Mexican coke
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a small cast iron pan inside. (I used 2 – 6″ pans at a time.)
Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Next, mix together the eggs and buttermilk, then add the melted butter in a slow stream. Continue to whisk the wet mix.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients, but be careful not to overmix. The batter should remain lumpy.
Carefully remove the cast iron from the oven and generously spray with non-stick cooking spray. Ladle the batter into the skillet, but only fill up half-way. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the pancake is brown on top. Test the center of the pancake with a toothpick, to make sure it comes out clean. Turn the cast iron skillet over onto a towel or plate to release the pancake.
Garnish with fresh berries and serve immediately.
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