DISH | plum pancake revisited

So here we are. September. I don’t know about you but it felt like the summer flew by. Now I find myself in a mad dash to get in on the summer bounty. I had all intentions of growing a sick garden and preserving the shit out of it. But then life happens and you find yourself in a hot kitchen five days a week. Needless to say when I do get to the market on my days off, I get a tad excited. These lil’ plums from my go-to Noggins Corner Farm in Alderney Landing were the perfect inspiration for a Labour Day brunch,  the same brunch, we had made almost a year prior as one of the first meals in the new pad. Just as delicious as the first time,this oven plum pancake was tart and eggy and not at all sweet. Hello maple syrup.

That lazy Sunday, syrup smothered pancake in hand, we were reminded just how much we love our Dartmouth home and local market. Sometimes it’s hard to believe how lucky we are in Nova Scotia to have access to fresh, local produce year round so how very fitting that this posts comes to you on Open Farm Day. Brought to you by the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, today is the day to bridge that gap between you and your food. Farms all across the province are open to the public, giving you a “backstage pass to meet your farmer”. Though I will sadly not be visiting a farm today, I encourage you to do what I can’t. Surprise yourself with just how much more local produce there is than you ever thought possible, or show your kids what free range actually looks like, or just go on a Sunday drive, grab some goods at the nearest farm, and make a big Sunday scran. Because if there is one thing that will make you appreciate Nova Scotia even more, it’s gathering your friends and family around the table for an incredible local feast. Happy Sunday. 

 {Original posted October 3, 2012.} Well, the blog has been a tad ignored these past few weeks but, in case you didn’t see it, I did pull together a guest post for my gal Lia over at Se7en’s a Banquet, 9ine’s a Brawl. And it’s a crazy one. Eggs Benny Hors D’oeuvres with Quail Eggs and Latkes. Sheer madness I tell ya. 

But we also found a new home, subletted the apartment, packed, and moved to the other side of the bridge. Yes, we are now livin’ it up on the D Side. Downtown Dartmouth to be precise. And we couldn’t be happier. The house is huge, there’s loads of friends in the hood already, plus Two If By Sea is mere minutes away, and, get this, Noggins Corner Farm has recently opened a shop in Alderney Landing open seven days a week. Local produce minutes away available every day? It doesn’t get any better.

So, in honour of our new neighborhood and love of all things local, here’s a lil’ breakfast recipe I whipped up the other day using some Noggin’s plums. The plum Dutch Baby, otherwise known as an oven pancake, isn’t your typical bready pancake. More like it’s eggy cousin. I’ve been making both an apple and a pear version for years. Simply use 2 thinly sliced apples or pears. In these, the fruit magically rises to the top, making a killer caramelized fruit crust. The plums, however, stayed on the bottom, making it a sort of upside down pancake. More tart than sweet, it’s perfect with a healthy dose of maple syrup.