Sunday, October 24, 2010

Lets Eat - An Australian Bush Smoko

Welcome, new readers on your journey around the world on Amy's Let's Eat Blog Hop (and g'day to regular readers as well..heheh, turning on the Aussie slang this morning!).
 
If you are on the Blog Hop, you should have arrived here from the depths of Sussex, in the UK - a vastly different locale from where I am writing - outback Queensland, Australia.
 
Firstly, let me define SMOKO for you.  It is NOT, up here in the bush, a cigarette break (as a Sydney friend once thought) although the origin of the term for us does go back to shearers taking a break for morning/afternoon tea and a smoke. For all of us in the bush (or outback) smoko means morning tea (or afternoon) - a cup of tea or beverage of choice, and something to eat.  And let me tell you, after a LONG mornings work in the cattle yards, the call "Righto, lets have smoko!" is quite a welcome one! (actually, its welcome at any time, no matter the task, especially if there is a good cook in residence!)
 
art29758_smoko-time_g-taylor So, smoko is a break from work for a drink and something to eat, and if you at my mum's place, that involves yummy fruit cake and/or anzac biscuits and/or some other yummy slice.  But at my place, with kids eating me out of house and home, the supply of baked delights tends to low on a regular basis.  However, on an occasional Sunday, when the stars align and The Husband is home (and therefore the kids are not underfoot and are out of the house annoying him spending some quality time over the shed with their father, I will whip up a big batch of pikelets.
 
I have tried a few different recipes in my day, with buttermilk and other different ingredients, but I keep coming back to this one. Quick to prepare (although if you wander off to through a load of washing in the machine when the sugar and eggs are mixing, it will be all the better!)
 
081 Some tips - I tend to make a stiffer batter, so that the pikelet will not spread all over the pan, and be nice and thick.  Easy to flip over a nice smallish pikelet than a wide flappy thin one, from my experience.  And depending on your pan,  I find an even, medium heat to be best.  The first batch in tends to be a little rough looking while I adjust the heat to the right setting, and the pan seasons properly (which leads me to add - season with butter. Real butter).080 The best way to enjoy these is warm, with butter and golden syrup spread over, and dripping down your fingers!  But of course, could be also served with whipped cream and jam, if you are being a bit fancy.  083 I've tripled this recipe and fed a crowd of hungry helpers at calf-branding time down at our cattle property - I made the batter the night before, put it in the fridge.  When I got there (our property being a hour or so drive from where we live)  I cooked them on the flat plate of the barbeque (no power on the property for electric frypans) and I have to say, there wasn't a great pile on a serving plate - they were getting eaten straight off the BBQ.  But a single batch is enough to feed our family for morning smoko, with a few left over for the kids to have later on that afternoon, cold.089 There wasn't a lot of styling or preparation going into the above photo, otherwise I would have a. shut that cupboard door and b. shifted that pile of washing that needed folding from the day bed behind my husband! I just sat the camera on a cupboard across the room and sat down to enjoy some pikelets before the kids and husband ate em all!
 
BEST EVER SIMPLE PIKELETS (single size batch)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups Self Rising Flour (1/4 cup less if you like a runny batter)
1/2 cup sugar
Vanilla to taste.

Beat eggs until light and fluffy, add sugar and continue beating. Beat in milk and vanilla, then add flour and mix to form a smooth batter.  Spoon onto hot frypan/plate, turning as bubbles form.
 
That's all there is to it.  And if you do have left overs, they seem to freeze well too.  Just double or triple quantities as required.
 
Now, for the next stop (and final I think) in the Lets Eat blog hop, head over to Alexa  on the other side of the world (back to the UK) and check out her wonderful writing, and no doubt scrumptious recipe!

24 comments:

  1. Thanks for introducing us Brits to a Smoko - never heard of that before! These look delicious, not that we get much chance to cook much on barbecues out here but I'm guessing a griddle on the cooker will work just fine!
    I may suggest these for a Smoko this afternoon!

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  2. that big plate of piklets and the idea of butter and syrup running down my fingers is making me very hungry. Love the idea of eating them straight off the barbie

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  3. Bloody beauty mate!!!!!!
    Will make the tomorrow :)

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  4. Well Sharon, I think that last photo has a certain air of authenticity to it!

    Would you believe it ... the man of the house has just presented me his version of pikelets with lemon and sugar ... have you two been secretly conversing? ;-)

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  5. ooo, never heard of adding vanilla to pikelets (or scotch pancakes as we call them), I shall definately have to try it!

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  6. Speaking from the depths of Sussex!!! This recipe looks delicious...we do have them in the UK....but have never actually tried making them....will definately have to have a go now....and I do know exactly what you mean about grabbing your share before the rest of the family snaffles them all!!!
    Enjoyed learning a bit of Aussie history as well.

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  7. Thanks for the insight into life in Queensland. Pikelet is a new word for me. I will be making these. They look yummmy.

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  8. It's lovely to hear some of your life 'down under' I call them scotch pancakes too, butter & lemon juice for me, Oh and sometimes with sultanas in the mix? scrummy:)

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  9. i love the story behind the smoko and these pikelets loook lush. i wonder if u can add raisins?
    Jo xxx

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  10. Oooh, delicious! I'll be trying this recipe out very soon!

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  11. This is exactly what I love about a world-crossing bloghop! I've learnt something new and been introduced to an entirely new food. Thanks for sharing this today, a very enjoyable post.

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  12. Hi Sharon ~ I have learned two new words within your blog post: smoko and pikelet. Pikelets are a regular occurance here in America, but we call them pancakes. My husband's favorite is when I add some sliced bananas on top before I flip them.

    It was fun to visit your blog and I love the photos you used in your post. Well done! :o)

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  13. Just lovely to see you at home, unedited and very real - and those pikelets look scrumptious. Just the job for me and DH after scrabbling around in the space below the new extension in the dark, trying to board the floor! Off to look for the ingredients now!

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  14. Those look yummy, we call them crumpets here. I have had them with raisins before.

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  15. Pikelets must be an Australian version of pancakes here. We love them and often add some apples and walnuts to them.

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  16. These sound delicious! And you know, usually when I read a blog post I can 'hear' it in my own accent, but this one was quite definitely Australian!!

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  17. This is amazing! I am from the UK and my mum uses this same recipe to make drop scones for our breakfast on a saturday! Try them with butter and sugar! so good! xxx

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  18. wow they look really tasty can't wait to try these out! I have a great vision of you cooking on the barbie in front of a herd of cows sounds great to me! thanks xxx

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  19. These look delicious. I love pancakes, these look thicker and smaller than the ones I usually make so I shall try these out too! I like serving them with bananas and chocolate sauce. mmmm. xx

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  20. we'd be calling them pancakes here and using maply syrup :)
    sounds great and good to know they freeze well too! thx for your share with us hoppers..

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  21. okay okay, so I am that ignorant Sydney-ite who thought you were having ciggy's with the kids. Firstly I love the last reality shot - I have four of my kitchen cupboards open right as we speak! And I love piklets. They are so quick and easy, and I often make up a batch just as they all come home from school - they get devoured!

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  22. In the bit of England where I was born pikelets would have little holes in them and yours would be Scottish pancakes. Lovely whatever the name (and I do like your photo - I see a bottle of tomato ketchup in the photo of my daughter baking as well as the missing tile!)

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  23. These look lovely! thanks for sharing! Where abouts in QLD do you live? We visited a lot of the coast line a few years back x

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