[liverlipsyyz]

i'm looking for some help as a complete novice and i thought i'd turn to the experts. i am doing a pancake breakfast for my sales reps (i'm the manager) at work. i'm planning on using an electric grill in an enclosed office environment. will this cause any problems with smoke alarms? as you can tell, i have never cooked pancakes or used an electric grill. the last thing i would want is to fill the office with smoke or have any alarms go off. thanks for any help you can provide.

[nowIamone]

I can't imagine why the alarms would activate unless you are burning the hotcakes.

Since you haven't made a hotcake before, prehaps you should practice a few at home. It will allow you to get the feel of the batter, pouring it onto the griddle and turning them. Most important you should wait until the hotcake has multiple small bubbles, across the top and has started to look dry on the sides before turning.

If you are cooking sausage or bacon on site, that may trigger the smoke alarms if you don't have good ventalation. Suggest you try some of the precooked sausage links that are microwavable. You can buy in a big package. I just tasted Jimmy Deans, they aren't bad.

[liverlipsyyz]

i'm just planning on doing the hotcakes. everything i've read says turn them over when you see the bubbles on the top start to burst and dry on the sides but nowhere does it states how you know when it's done once you turn them!!??

[Mezzaluna]

They should be golden brown on the second side. Don't forget the toppings! Maple and fruit-flavored syrups, peanut butter, fruit preserves, powdered sugar, BUTTER (not the fake stuff!!!).

There are ways to pre-cook the pancakes, freeze them and nuke them but you should be fine so long as your griddle (and I would recommend this over a smaller electric frypan) has well-regulated temperature. Make sure you have enough butter to fry the pancakes, too.

[shel]

Originally Posted by Mezzaluna

Don't forget the toppings! Maple and fruit-flavored syrups....

Real maple syrup, not maple-flavored syrup.

shel

[castironchef]

Originally Posted by liverlipsyyz

i'm just planning on doing the hotcakes. everything i've read says turn them over when you see the bubbles on the top start to burst and dry on the sides but nowhere does it states how you know when it's done once you turn them!!??

One minute on the reverse side and you're done. Oh, by the way, you serve them with first cooked side up. In other words, just as the look after you've flipped them the first time.

[stir it up]

If you have no way to ventilate and you're in one of those office buildings where the windows can't open, I wouldn't cook with a non-stick pan ie teflon in a closed building like that. There are issues with outgassing.

I know someone who killed their baby birds in their house just by cooking something in a teflon pan on the stove.

Or at least keep it at 300F or lower if it's non stick, but I don't like the idea of a sealed building and cooking on teflon at all personally. If you have a pan that's not non stick it's not an issue to me, just don't burn anything.

[phoenix 12]

Originally Posted by stir it up

If you have no way to ventilate and you're in one of those office buildings where the windows can't open, I wouldn't cook with a non-stick pan ie teflon in a closed building like that. There are issues with outgassing.

I know someone who killed their baby birds in their house just by cooking something in a teflon pan on the stove.

Or at least keep it at 300F or lower if it's non stick, but I don't like the idea of a sealed building and cooking on teflon at all personally. If you have a pan that's not non stick it's not an issue to me, just don't burn anything.

THANK YOU. We have ten Macaws. Haven't used teflon in years. There are a few "Green" pans out there now. Never have used them as they are new.

Mike

Mike

[Mezzaluna]

Maple and fruit-flavored syrups

Shel, you're right- for want of a comma or semicolon, I gave the wrong impression. Real maple only, please! I've heard Grade B is yummy for this.

[KCZ]

Originally Posted by phoenix 12

THANK YOU. We have ten Macaws. Haven't used teflon in years. There are a few "Green" pans out there now. Never have used them as they are new.

Mike

Mike, I just bought those Green Pans and I'm testing them now for a review article in a bird-owners' newsletter. Speaking as both a bird owner and home chef, don't waste your money...they're flimsy and only sort-of-nonstick, and there's no documented testing as to their effects on birds.

[shel]

Originally Posted by Mezzaluna

Shel, you're right- for want of a comma or semicolon, I gave the wrong impression. Real maple only, please! I've heard Grade B is yummy for this.

I was sure that's what you meant, but since the OP is a complete novice, it seemed to be a good idea to clarify the point.

Grade B is pretty good, but frequently a lighter Grade A (there are two grades of Grade A with which I'm familiar, light and dark amber) is appropriate, especially, imo, if one is making a somewhat delicately flavored pancake or waffle., or if there are some fresh fruits used with the 'cakes. Sometimes Grade B is a bit overpowering to my taste. At times I prefer just a little bit off good quality unsalted butter, skipping the syrup entirely.

BTW, I was in the little local town market today and looked at all the syrups on the shelf, and there were all the typical commercial players. None were maple syrup, and all were made with HFCS and other junk, which got me to wondering: was Log Cabin and Aunt Jemima ever pure maple syrup? I remember when Log Cabin actually came in a metal container that looked like a log cabin. That sure was a neat marketing ploy for us youngsters.

shel

[stir it up]

phoenix Mike, I take it you know also to never run a self clean oven without opening windows. It usually says so in the manual, but who reads the manual that carefully.

[phoenix 12]

Originally Posted by KCZ

Mike, I just bought those Green Pans and I'm testing them now for a review article in a bird-owners' newsletter. Speaking as both a bird owner and home chef, don't waste your money...they're flimsy and only sort-of-nonstick, and there's no documented testing as to their effects on birds.

Thanks That's good to know.

Mike

[phoenix 12]

Originally Posted by stir it up

phoenix Mike, I take it you know also to never run a self clean oven without opening windows. It usually says so in the manual, but who reads the manual that carefully.

Nope don't run it. Yeah who needs manuals

Mike