This one’s for you, Melissa.

(Recipe to follow.)

Back in 1971, my mom and dad bought our first house in a brand new tract in Anaheim, California, near the border of Yorba Linda.  Surrounding our tract and just a sparce few others, were miles and miles of orange groves owned by Sunkist.

We were among the first to move into the 20-home cul-de-sac, but it didn’t take long before the neighborhood filled up with other new home owners, and everyone got to know each other.   Parties and bbq’s ensued, and cliques were rapidly established.  Among the clique that we belonged to - the only clique that really mattered - were our next door neighboors, another family down the street, and the Richmond’s from around the corner.

Coffee clutches morphed into afternoon wine coolers, while the housewives spent languid hours gossiping away the days.  I really dug my mom’s clique, and frequently eavesdropped, so I could pick up on all of the juicy stuff they were dishing.  Those ladies went on about sex and other dirt in great detail, and I loved it!

Often the cocktail hour ended up at our house, and my mother would prepare hors d’houvres for the gals.  The recipes for most of my mother’s famous hors d’houvres came from Renny Darling’s cookbooks:   The Love of Eating, The Joy of Eating, and The Joy of Eating French Food.

Usually, by the time my mom whipped up the snacks, it was just herself, N. from next door, and B. Richmond left standing (or lounging, more accurately).  I loved both of my mom’s closest friends, but this post is about B. and her family, and especially her daughter Melissa - a close friend of mine while growing up, and a fellow foodie who now lives in Chicago and recently reconnected with me.

The Richmonds were a pretty cool family, and we were all good friends.  B., the mom, babysat for my brother and I, when my mom went to work as a nurse, and having B. as a babysitter rocked.  First of all, she looked like Ann Margret.  Secondly, she let us do the coolest stuff.  Often we just hung out in and by the pool with her, while she sunbathed,  ran errands with her, or just hung out around the house.  Thirdly, sometimes we did really bitchin’ stuff.

For example, she apparently used to hang out with some of the Beach Boys, and she took us with her one time.  I  actually got to play frisbee with Carl and Dennis Wilson (I was terrible, but hey, I was only 8!), and some of the other band members in Newport Beach.  Young audiophile that I was, I actually knew who they were and recognized them - on the spot. I was a big fan, and had a few of their albums, but I think I played it cool.  It was pretty frackin hip for a babysitting experience, no matter how you sliced it.

Their dad was a pretty cool guy, too (while he was on the scene).  Dad #1 was a drag car racer, and he had a ski boat that he took us out on.  Our families went camping together and water skiing with the rest of the clique at  Big Bend on the Colorado River, Lake Havasu, and several other spots over the years.  I have so many fun memories of those times, and many of them just happen to involve pancakes.

Missy/Melissa and I  often spent the night at each other’s homes, and as a result we were exposed to new breakfast foods.  I got to try graham crackers broken up in a bowl and topped with milk for breakfast, and fell in love with it.  Meanwhile, Melissa was treated to my mother’s famous Cottage Cheese Pancakes.

As often happens when kids move away, I visited Missy and her family with decreasing frequency.  The last time  Melissa and I saw each other, I was 16, and living with my father in Playa del Rey, California (a beach town in L.A.).  We spent the night at each others houses over the course of that weekend, and had a great time.  She took me out to Benihana somewhere in the OC, and I took her to the Beverly Center.   Also that weekend, my dad made the famous Cottage Cheese Pancakes, and they apparently made a lasting impression.

Shortly after, Missy and I lost contact with each other.   A few years have passed.  Let’s not count how many.

Thus, I was indeed merrily surprised when I recieved a comment from Miss Melissa right here on my blog!  Let’s hear it for the internet!  She found me!!!

Over the last few weeks, we have been catching up and exchanging emails, and she mentioned the Cottage Cheese Pancakes my parents used to make when we were kids.  She shared with me how much she loved them, and requested the recipe, which is from The Love of Eating, by Renny Darling.

I just happened to purchase the now out-of-print book a couple of months ago on Amazon,  and I have been wanting to write a post about Renny Darling ever since, so her timing couldn’t be better.

Here you go, Miss Melissa.  Following the jump are the recipes for Cottage Cheese Pancakes and Orange Honey Butter from The Love of Eating, by Renny Darling.

I modified the following recipe to my preference by adding 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of orange zest.  My mom and dad made the recipe as is.  Either way it is great.   You can serve this with Orange Honey Butter (recipe below), or with syrup, fruit compote, or whatever your preferred topping may be.

This recipe makes about four medium-sized pancakes.  So increase, accordingly, if necessary.

Recipe for Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Ingredients

1 Cup Cottage Cheese

3 Eggs

1/3 Cup Flour

2 Tbsps Melted Butter

2 Tbsps Sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp Vanilla

A Pinch of Salt

Preparation Method:

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with fork until combined.  Do not overmix.

Pour batter onto greased, preheated skillet.  When bottom of pancake is golden brown and top is bubbly, turn and brown other side.

Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and orange honey butter (recipe to follow).

Recipe for Orange Honey Butter

The original recipe call for the use of 1 tablespoon of undiluted frozen orange juice form concentrate.  Since I don’t use frozen orange juice, I modifed the recipe accordingly.  Feel free to use either method.

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick)

1/2 Cup Honey

3 Tbsps Orange Juice

2 Tbsps Lemon Juice

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

Preparation Method:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for a bout 2 minutes.  Serve immedietely.

Yields about 1 cup.

Enjoy!!!

XOXOXOX,

~ Paula