Punxsutawney Pancakes

George Hirsch February 1, 2025

It's that time of year once again. Doesn't it feel like Groundhog Day was just yesterday? Those of you who know me know it's my favorite holiday tradition of the year. I love the excitement of the anticipated sign of spring from the Seer of Seers, Punxsutawney Phil, on February 2nd each year. Who would believe the little weather-predicting rodent would be 75-90 percent accurate. How about that! I'd say that's more predictable than any certified meteorologist.

However, I really feel Groundhog Day took on an all-new meaning years back after watching Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day. Imagine eating all the pancakes and donuts you like and repeating them the next day and the next.

So, in honor of Punxsutawney Phil and Bill Murray, here's my Punxsutawney Pancakes Recipe. Hearing the alarm clock at 6 AM on Groundhog Day just isn't the same without a tall stack of pancakes and a carafe of good coffee to wake up to. Just be sure to serve with a good maple syrup. Or, try a slice of my Egg Custard Pie (recipe below) for another sweet celebration.

Wishing you a Happy Groundhog Day this upcoming weekend! May my Punxsutawney Pancakes become a tradition at your breakfast table as well.

George's Punxsutawney Pancakes

Makes eight pancakes

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon pure cane granulated sugar

* 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, beaten

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

* To make Buttermilk

1 scant cup whole milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

To make buttermilk:

Measure 1 scant cup of milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits. This substitute will not become as thick as regular buttermilk

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl well with a whisk: the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients: the buttermilk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter.

Add the wet to the dry and stir with a spatula until the dry ingredients have incorporated. There may still be a few lumps. Do not over-mix, or pancakes will become tough.

Preheat a nonstick pan or lightly grease a griddle over medium-high heat at 375 degrees F.

Tip: Test the temperature by dropping a drop of water on the surface of the pan. Water will dance across the surface when at the correct temperature. Test one pancake.

Pour one 1/4 cup scoop of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Add any fresh fruit, such as bananas or blueberries, at this time. You will see bubbles form on the top side when brown on the bottom, flip, and brown on the second side.

Serve hot with syrup or your favorite topping.

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Universal Symbol Of Life

George Hirsch December 30, 2024

The egg itself, like a seed, is a symbol of the potential of life. In ancient times, the egg was a symbol of the universe, creation, and, in some cultures, luck, wealth, and health.

What's equally as good with high tea, sparkling wine, or frosty beer at a tailgate? I have an egg of an idea - the deviled egg. It's one of those hors d'oeuvre platters that spans the occasion ladder from high brow to low brow, which always empties fast because it is so difficult to have just one.

George Hirsch Lifestyle deviled eggs 206.png

The name deviled implies hot but need not be. It is simply hard-boiled eggs chilled and halved with the yolk whipped into a flavorful filling of a wide variety of flavors such as mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, Dijon mustard, etc. You can even spice it up with a touch of cayenne, hot sauce, or wasabi. Use a touch of fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, or chives; it's a nice touch. Make special occasion up-end garnishes such as chopped prosciutto, crisp chopped pancetta, or with a sliver of smoked salmon, sour cream, and caviar.

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Glühwein Recipe

George Hirsch December 21, 2024

Many German town centers have street markets during the Christmas season, with stalls selling cookies, arts and crafts, wooden toys, and other festive items. Almost every street corner seems to boast Bratwurst and Glühwein stalls. Light a roaring fire and pour yourself a small glass of warm, spicy red wine. Below is a basic recipe, but vendors in Germany will offer additional flavorings, such as elderberry cordial or a shot of dark rum. At home, spike it, too, if you choose.

Heat your Glühwein in a large saucepan on the stove or in a large jug in the microwave, but don't let it boil, or the alcohol will evaporate. If you want a less alcoholic drink, mix in apple juice or water.

Glühwein Recipe

Makes 6 servings

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1 bottle of full-bodied red wine

1 small lemon

6 orange slices

10 cloves

3 cinnamon sticks

4-6 Tablespoons sugar

3 ounces brandy

Preparation

Pour the wine into a large saucepan. Cut the lemon into quarters. Stick the cloves into the rind of one quarter. Slice the rest thinly. Add the lemon quarter and orange slices to the pan with the cinnamon and sugar. Heat slowly until hot, but do not allow to boil. Add brandy and serve in heatproof glasses or small cups. Place a metal teaspoon in the glass before adding the hot liquid to prevent the glass from breaking.

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Nougatkugeln

George Hirsch December 16, 2024

Aka the chocolate truffle, the bite-sized petit four is made from a creamy mixture of chocolate ganache, usually with butter and cream. However, this German version I've prepared below has less fat in the recipe but does not sacrifice the decadent chocolate flavor. As I've written prior, the quality of the truffle is primarily dependent on the quality of the chocolate you start with. I can't stress this enough.

Nougatkugeln

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Makes about 35 truffles

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

*2 Tablespoons espresso or strong brewed coffee, or as needed

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup hazelnuts or almonds, lightly toasted & ground

Optional filling: To make an all-chocolate truffle: substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate, ground medium-fine, for the hazelnuts.

Optional flavoring: Reduce espresso by 1 Tablespoon and substitute with 1 Tablespoon of Frangelico (hazelnut flavor liquor), or Grand Marnier (orange flavor liquor). SEE DIRECTIONS BELOW

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid overheating. As the chocolate begins to melt, remove the bowl from the heat.

In a separate bowl, combine the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder with a wire whisk. Mix in espresso, vanilla, and nuts. The mixture should be slightly thick; add additional espresso if the truffle mixture needs to be slightly smoother.

Cool mixture slightly, and with a small scoop or by hand, form small balls by shaping them into 1/2- to 3/4-inch diameter balls. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate.

Garniture: Place your coatings for the truffles on a plate and roll truffle balls in one of the following:

Toasted crushed nuts

Powdered sugar

Cocoa powder

Tempered chocolate striped over truffles

Coconut

Shaved chocolate

Chill until firm. Nougatkugeln is best when served at room temperature.

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Stollenschutzverband

George Hirsch November 30, 2024

Much like the Dutch Kerststol or the more familiar Italian Panettone during the holiday season, the German Stollen is a loaf-shaped dense sweet dough or bread-like cake containing dried fruit, covered with cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or fondant icing.

The German people take their stollen seriously. So much so that they have an official association of Stollen Bakers, so when shopping for your stollen loaf, be sure it dons the golden “Seal of Quality" on the package. Only products labeled with that seal are genuine Dresden Christmas Stollen. The Stollenschutzverband (Trade Protection Society Dresden Stollen) awards this quality seal as an authenticity certificate and guarantees that the respective Stollen has been made by hand in Greater Dresden and meets the high-quality demands of the Stollenschutzverband, like from Bäckerei & Konditorei Gnauck Bakery. I wouldn't want you eating an unofficial Stollen!

Traditionally, Dresden’s bakers and pastry chefs celebrate the so-called Stollen Festival every Saturday before the 2nd Advent in Dresden, Germany. This year it will be celebrated on Saturday, December 9th.

If you dare try, here's an authentic recipe, translated—note measurements in grams.

Dresden Stollen -recipe with one "Metze" (4 kg) flour for 6 four-pound-stollen

4000-gram wheaten flour

1600 gram butter

500-gram butter lard

600-gram preserving sugar

750 gram sweet almonds, pulverized

250-gram bitter almonds, pulverized

600-gram candied lemon peel

3000-gram seedless raisins

1000 gram milk

250-gram yeast

50-gram salt

100-gram lemon peel

10-gram Macis

300-gram rum

1 gram vanilla pod

Dresden Christmas Stollen (translated from native tongue, German)

The Dresden woman Lenelies Pause delivered in her monography about the "royal Children," a stollen recipe in his highly developed form. It demonstrated the high school of the art to bake Dresden stollen:

"There are a lot of tales. History tells they don't use milk; they better take the rich cream, 2 cans, full, directly from a farmer. It is the speech of a "Metze" (4 kilograms) dusty wheat flour. This "Metze" devours desirous 2 kilograms of the best butter, snatch 3-kilogram seedless raisins with themselves, and satisfies themselves with 1 kilogram of almonds. It desires a hand full with bitter glassy candied lemon peel planed orange peel, also takes a breath mace - rubbed soft over a piece of sugar with powerless hand -, demands a charge of the good old Arrak, and takes the sugar not in the modern crystallized form, but after the good old tradition as a hat which is packed in blue paper, and then also only martyred, sifted and on the lemon rubbed off. The Stollen is an unready child only mixed, formed, and baked. With 1000 gram melted hot butter, the stollen will be slowly and softly touched und steeped; sugar smells like vanilla, sinks up like snow clouds, till it is finally carried home with a sweet aroma, which marches through the whole city in the days before Christmas and all bakeries, which breaths out of all corridors."