THE FOODIST / CLUELESS IN THE KITCHEN i.e. PANCAKES

 Melissa Clark, a food reporter and columnist for The New York Times. pretty much comes out and says Americans really don't know jack about--flap jack pancakes. 

She claims "a golden stack of pancakes, slicked with butter, dripping with syrup, is one of the most rewarding breakfasts you can cook on a weekend — a perfect way to start the day. "But not all pancakes reach those burnished heights. Some are flat; some are pale and spongy; some burn on the outside and stay raw in the middle." 

 Clark recently revealed her secret to "Best Buttermilk Pancakes" in the NY Times. "The secret to consistently perfect pancakes lies in a few simple but crucial moves. And sometimes the biggest mistakes are not the things you did but the things you didn't do," states Melissa. 

 Basically, Clark insists the culprit is not resting your batter. 

 Who knew your batter needed a nap? 

 She has a litany of other tips that we the unwashed masses have missed since we left mom's apron strings. 

 Here you go: https://cooking.nytimes.com/article/pancake-mistakes-cooking-tips 

If the link from the blog doesn't work--you can seek out the June 17, 2026 update of Clark's missive in the New York Times. Well worth learning about the benefits of lumpy batter and to rest your batter ten to 30 minutes on the counter. She points out the batter will also keep for 48 hours in the refridge. A longer rest deepens the flavor giving the buttermilk more time to work on the flour. Remember, she's the boss. 

 Click the link above to find the recipe. And she also answers the age-old Goldilocks question: what does the perfect pancake look like. 

 Left is too light. Center is just right. And right is an abysmal filature. If your pancakes look like the one of the right then get your butt to I-HOP. 

 We tease. 

Enjoy her article. We did and were enlightened beyond measure, especially now to find the right temperature sweet spot when heating the pan you've had since your wife's most recent bridal shower.  

DESIGN / ABOARD THE GRAF ZEPPELLIN

Lunch is about to be served aboard the lighter than air vessel: Graf Zeppelin in 1929. The German made hydrogen-fueled airship made a total of 559 voyages, including several voyages to America and the Middle East during its relatively short life span. 

The Graf Zeppelin was the most celebrated airship of its age, a silver giant that turned long-distance flight into spectacle. Officially designated LZ 127, it was built in Germany and named for Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, pioneer of rigid airships. 

The craft first flew on September 18, 1928, under the command of Dr. Hugo Eckener. Measuring 776 feet from nose to tail, the Graf Zeppelin carried passengers in surprising comfort, with ten sleeping cabins, a dining room, and broad windows overlooking continents and oceans. 

In 1929 it completed a publicized round-the-world journey, traveling from Lakehurst, New Jersey, across the Atlantic, Europe, Siberia, Japan, and the Pacific before returning to the United States. The voyage made Eckener and his crew international celebrities. 

During nine years of service, the Graf Zeppelin flew more than one million miles and carried thousands of passengers and pieces of mail. It also conducted scientific and mapping expeditions, including a notable Arctic flight in 1931. 

Unlike the ill-fated Hindenburg, the Graf Zeppelin never suffered a fatal accident. Its career ended after the Hindenburg disaster in 1937 destroyed public confidence in passenger airships. Dismantled in 1940, it remains an enduring symbol of aviation’s bold, elegant, and adventurous early years.

All aboard, 1929

  

Graf Zeppelin

Lounge, top, and Dining Room