Denny’s Pancake Puppies Make a Great BFD

Its no shocker to you, I’m sure, that breakfast is a meal fit for any time of day.  The foods that we reserve for the first meal of the day are equally satisfying at lunch, dinner, and all the meals in between.

With that attitude, Breakfast for Dinner (BFD) is a regular feature on the menu in my house.  I picked it up from my Dad, mostly.  On some of the night when Mom didn’t cook, Dad would whip up a fine “breakfast” meal of grits, eggs, sausages, and maybe even homemade biscuits or pancakes if we were lucky; buttered toast if we weren’t.  So its no surprise I’ve carried on the tradition and have my daughter asking for Breakfast for Dinner on a regular basis.

Not too long ago, she asked for Breakfast for Dinner and I agree to make it the next night.  The next night came along and the request was there but, man, I really didn’t feel like slaving over a hot skillet.  With plans for later in the evening, we decided to stay out and have our breakfast-dinner at Denny’s, which was on the way to our destination.

Jr. jumped right into a Grand Slam plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon with a biscuit on the side.  I really didn’t want the full Denny’s experience; instead I was curious to try something new on their menu.  Pancake Puppies.

Yes, Denny’s has revamped* the hush puppy concept and replaced the corn meal with pancake batter and the shrimp sauce with syrup.  And trust me, it works!

[*The chefs at Denny’s haven’t created something totally new.  The Okinawans and Hawaiians have been making a sweet, deep-fried dough-ball called andagi for quite some time.]

Six puppies are served in a sundae glass along with a dish of syrup for dipping.  The golden brown globes are nicely crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, just like a well cooked puppy should be.  About the size of a golf ball, they’re dusted with sugar and all too easily eaten with fingers; no need for a fork.

Fortunately, Jr. didn’t ask to try any of my pancake puppies.  She was busy with her stack of traditional hotcakes and the big fluffy biscuit.  I’m glad because, if she figured out how good they were, she might be asking me to make them at home!  While I’m sure I can handle it, I’m also sure that there’s a certain skill required to make these crispy, delicate treats.  Until I learn that secret, I’ll keep Denny’s in mind as a back up when the call for Breakfast for Dinner comes around again.