Berrilicious

A tribe of sleepy teens lay scattered around the house, some have relocated to the sofa closest to the heat, to warm bitter cold toes on midnight runs to the bathroom.

The day begins and despite the cafe being closed for nearly 4 months, I still wake in time to turn on the lights, put down the chairs and begin a workday that never seemed like work, yet these days are gone.

I hesitate as I pour my first espresso shot, as my hand stretches through the pantry in search of buckwheat. I find the berries in the fridge begging to be used, purchase habits are hard to break. Months have passed since our weekend brekkie crowds, warmed a gentle bowl and placed a compote of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, like a pallet of ruby and pink, cascading down toasted circles of soft cloud-like buckwheat, cooled with yoghurt and caressed with the sweetness of Manuko chocolate.

The beep of the fridge alarm, reminding me I've held it pondering too long, nudges me to the present. I hesitate, could it be possible? Maybe pancakes at every sleepover is becoming predictable and too much, afterall there is toast, cereal, hot chocolate. A small curve to the side of my lips when I remember the sweet linger of cinnamin under the heat.

It's been 4 months since I baked, pressed the go on my 'Cafe Vibes' playlist, hummed away to Kaleo and Xavier Rudd; a dance in my step, as the sun kissed the morning and joy filled my little 'Kindness Kitchen', where harm free food collaborated with good karma. We were to be the change where dreams were made, ideas in full fruition, friendships were born and possibility lingered. Who could imagine a vegan cafe in the middle of rural Victoria would be so successful, children and adults sitting around tables of tiny canvasses, crayons and paint; spaces to share, that plant-based food could be anything except boring, where everyone and anyone invited to be themselves?

Change did come, in the form of a flood, 120 points or so of rain in 12 hours, filling the out-dated streets, collecting in drains and over flowing benneath the walls of the cafe entrance. Down it came, down the walls of the cool room via the roof, trickling through the kitchen like creeping sadness, bringing with it remnants of what lay hidden between the vintage walls.

It's been 4 months since I trickled melted cacao across a stack of fluffy buckwheat and soaked berries in organic maple. The smell and taste lingers, beacons me this morning, along with hungry tummies and murmurs from benneath the doonas of a teens room.

Ah teenage years, before we sell our passions to bill paying and business budgets, receipt keeping and making things balance on paper rather than plates filled with a love all things harm free and edible.

The years before grief or loss, when not winning a battle mean't next weekend or next season, not overcoming COVID closures to begin a new venture, only to have to heavens open up and redirect you to face a challenge once again. The teens, when food brought friends together, kept hands busy on movie nights, something to laugh and giggle over in a room full of like-minded souls, lifts the serotonin, teases the tastebuds for more.

It was my teens I learned to hold the spoon and stir, watch the mushrooms saute', kneed the dough, pinch the edges, crumble with my hands. I was fortunate to have older siblings and parent to guide me through recipes without pages.

By the time I was 18 I was an Aussie living in London, backpacking my way through cleansing my soul from the torturous years of high school. I found my way to Claire's Kitchen, english larders, cottage gardens, little grocers in tiny lanes, in villages Emily Bronte would have been inspired to write with passion. Onward to Convent Garden and my first purchase of 'Cranks' cookbook, nearly 35 years ago, still loved today despite the pages joining me in a few crinkles from well loved years.

How a simple flat cake to use up the lard before Lent, could be as archaeologists hypothesise, the earliest cereal still enjoyed today, is worth considering in a world filled with choice, colour, sugar and extra. The pancake, derived some believe from the Greek words 'frying pan', mentioned as early as the 15th Century in England literature; from Africa to Japan, across Asia, Europe, the America's and my home of Australia, the humble flat cake has evolved into more than a round shape tossed in a hot pan. The humble pancake, despite it's early origins as a cereal, today a food that is experienced across the world, has become synomous with sweet soft goodness and luxury at any time of the day.

In the 15th Century of England with a population of 4 million, eggs plucked fresh from roaming hens, milk, flour and butter formed the early warm pan-cake ingredients. The Australia we know today, colonised by the British in 1788, has grown to nearly 26 million and England nearly 56 million in 2018. Today most of our ingredients come via supermarket shelves, factory farming, genetically modified to produce higher yields. With a 360% increase in popularity in the last two years, veganism is rapidly becoming the answer to reducing the harmful and long term impacts of human consumption on the planet, which cannot sustain us for generations to come without serious change.

Change can be difficult, giving up something you love or have enjoyed. Change can also equal better, when we know better, we can do better. Change can become preventative, with more knowledge and resources we can take our love of food, ancient recipes and skills, to produce suprising alternatives with less impact on the planet, on each other, on ourselves.

From my teens to my daughters, from my sister and Mother to me, my role is to be the change, to teach, to role model, to pick myself up from the devestating loss of our gorgeous little kind cafe' and create the best earth friendly, harm free, delectable breakfast, you will want time and time again, for hundreds of years to come.

When we know more, we can do more.

Be the change, we all need.

Buckwheat Berry stacked pancakes

Makes 2 dozen

250g Buckwheat flour

1 cup oat milk

Pinch of salt (optional)

1 tsp baking powder (gluten free)

2 tbspn maple syrup

2 tbspn plant-based butter (I use Nuttelex Coconut / palm oil free)

Oil for the pan (a tbspn of coconut oil adds sweetness to the flavour)

Topping

Berry compote

2 cups of mix berries

2 tbspns of maple syrup

1 tbspn water

Chocolate ganache'

How to create your pancakes

1. Place the ingredients in a Thermomix or blender and combine (no fuss here - just mix it until smooth)

2. Place oil in frypan. I prefer coconut, a small amount as it adds a different flavour to the pancakes

3. I also have a pancake maker which makes things 100% easier, holds a constant low temperature. If using the stove top, keep the temperature low until little bubbles appear in your pancakes and flip (unless you are of course a clever flipper and can toss that flat round cake in the air and turn it over!)

4. Serve warm. I prefer a stack of 3, the teens love 4 or 6.

For the berry compote

1. slice berries or if you prefer as I do, keep them whole. You can also use frozen berries which are practical when berries are not always available.

2. Warm for 2 mins in a microwave or if you prefer on a stove top with water and maple included until nice and juicy, not too soft or they will fall apart.

Chocolate ganache

Optional or maybe you would enjoy a tablespoon of natural yoghurt, a sprinke of hemp seeds on top, even a slice of lemon to the side is also yummy.

You could place 2 tbspns of vegan cooking chocolate (I use our organic hot chocolate powder for a stronger flavour) with a tbspn of maple syrup and of melted coconut oil. Drizzle across your pancakes!!

Enjoy every bite.

Remember: Food is even more delicious when shared in good company. Pairing food with great memories leaves lasting impressions.