Ok, friends. If you have trouble keeping sourdough alive because you forget about it in the refrigerator (like I do), this recipe is for you. My dear, departed father developed this recipe in the 1960s.

MOCK SOURDOUGH WAFFLES/PANCAKES

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 to 3 cups flour (1/3 buckwheat, if you like)

THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU WANT TO COOK YOUR WAFFLES:
Mix the warm water, yeast, vegetable oil, sugar and salt together. Blend in the egg and buttermilk. Add 2 cups of flour at first. If batter seems thin, add up to 1 more cup of flour. (This recipe is very forgiving; if you add too much flour, just thin the batter with a little water.) Cover and place in fridge overnight. The batter will rise and get very bubbly.

THE NEXT MORNING:
Heat a waffle iron or skillet over medium heat. Do not mix down the batter. Ladle batter onto waffle iron or skillet. If making waffles, close the lid and cook until steaming stops, 3 to 4 minutes. If making pancakes, cook until bubbles appear on top and then flip.

These pancakes take a little longer to cook than the regular baking soda/baking powder type.

Enjoy with butter and syrup.

VARIATION:
By the way, if you add buckwheat flour to the recipe, these make excellent blini. Just drop them by teaspoons onto the frying pan, cook on both sides and serve with sour cream and caviar or smoked salmon and capers.

Bon appetit!

Marilyn