comfort inside a fluffy flat cake...

While you are away from home there are certain things that you miss. Surprisingly, they are things that you wouldn't expect to miss. Also, these things that you miss, hit you at the most random times of the day. These memories or "home-sicknesses" do not have rules. They don't care if it is inconvenient or if you are busy. 

Please do not get me wrong with this. 

I love it here in Wales, and I am going to have a very very very very (you get my point) hard time coming back to the States after another three months. I love something new everyday. Seriously. Today was my typical Tuesday Outdoor Pursuit class. (Blog to come) I love that class, it is challenging and adventurous. So much fun. But that class was not the only thing that I loved about today. Today is National Pancake Day. They eat pancakes all day long. Savory and sweet pancakes. Since I was gone all day at class, I told my flatmates that I would make my pancakes for "tea," (which means supper here. Crazy I know.) 

So, I returned from class, got a cleaned up, finished some homework, then I opened my mini-cookbook, written in my mother's handwriting. I turned the page for pancakes. Well, I can safely say that I can make the mixture for the pancakes and they taste very delicious, but they do not look very good. 

these were at the bottom of the pile...
they were the first ones made, and the worst...
they did eventually get better...

My flipping skills are off here in Wales. Perhaps it is because I use a frying pan, and not the 20 year-old skillet that my mom uses, with grease and butter cooked into it. Try not to judge me for my lack of flipping pancakes, because honestly they still tasted delicious, and I made ones with smiley faces, and hearts in them. How unfortunate that I do not have pictures of those ones...

So back to my original story. While I am here, there are certain things that I miss. Pancakes with my family on Sunday mornings, after church, is one of those things. The sausage, homemade toast, scrambled eggs, and homemade syrup. Yum. I miss sitting with the family in the kitchen chatting over our brunch feast. But although Pancake Day made me miss that part of home, it also provided me with comfort through my flatmates. Pancake Day was the problem and the solution. 

my "family" in Wales, enjoying pancakes together...
in the kitchen...

 Although there were no sausages, homemade toast, or scrambled eggs- my flatmates had other things to fill the place. They don't have maple syrup, so they top their pancakes with various things like; Lyle's Golden syrup (not the same as maple syrup), honey, or chocolate, (and for me peanut butter).

mmm...toppings. 

Lucky for my flatmates, I did not want peanut butter or any of the other toppings so I made homemade apple-cinnamon syrup. And although I am not the best cook at home, I can create some pretty good concoctions here in Wales. This was absolutely delicious. Who knew apples, sugar, cinnamon, and water would taste so delicious together? And at the same time, who would doubt that they would taste good?

apple-cinnamon syrup...what was left of it...

Well, that's all I have for my blog today. I am not sure if you celebrated Pancake Day or not, (I never did while I was in the States). But if you did not get the chance, make today a "pancake day" and treat yourself to some fluffy flat cakes of comfort. You won't regret it.