Gunnar Fryzlewicz

Professor Miller

English 110, H2

9 September 2018

World’s Greatest Pancakes

          What do you think about when I say pancakes? Do you think about golden, round discs of decadence, smeared with butter and topped with a smooth syrup? For me, I think about Saturday mornings, sitting in my kitchen waiting with my family in anticipation for my dad’s pancakes. My siblings and I would wake up early so that we could get some of my dad’s fantastic pancakes. Although, his pancakes were made with simple store bought ingredients, the meaning behind them made those pancakes the most savory things in the world. These pancakes showed that even though my dad was stressed out with being a principal of a high school, he still found time and energy to be himself with his family. My dad’s job as a principal was very stressful and time consuming.

          My dad is the principal of the Kane Area High School. Throughout his week he deals with a multitude of angry kids, adults, faculty, and staff, which alone is a strenuous task. On top of that, he has to run a school which means creating a schedule rubric, creating class schedules, and updating/maintaining state policies. Most times these tasks take more than a regular eight hour work day to complete. My dad usually come home late and tired, and this is clearly represented on his face. Sometimes he gets home early enough that he has enough energy to hang out with the family, but these events are not often. Not being with his family weighs on us, my mother, and especially himself. Yet, in spite of all this, on those Saturday mornings he is very much present and awake. He looks forward to these mornings just as much as we do, and this is how he starts off his pancakes.

          My dad usually starts making pancakes by grabbing a two gallon bowl and pouring about one-quarter of a box of premix into it. Then he adds two-to-three cups of water, half cup of milk, and two eggs to the mix. This usually makes about twenty pancakes. Next, he adds one or more of his “secret ingredients”. His secret ingredients include, but are not limited to: M&M’s, chocolate chips, various food dyes, raspberries, blueberries, toffee pieces, bacon, sausages, skittles, chocolate syrup or coffee syrup. Sometimes he makes something creative like a brownie-pancake, or a seven layer pancake-cake with chocolate frosting. My dad would make these on when he was feeling extra creative in the morning. Then, my dad cooks the pancake mix on a table- top-griddle from Black & Decker for about fifteen minutes. After these fifteen minutes are over, he serves us his special pancakes and gets to work on my mother’s pancake.

          My moms’ pancake is usually twice the size of a normal pancake and has her favorite snacks in or on it. The pancake is usually multi-colored and has coconut, dark chocolate chips, and cranberries baked into it. Then, he adds Greek yogurt, honey and strawberry slices to the top , and brings it to her on large plate with a cup of coffee, extra creamer. My mom’s expression every time is a wide-toothed smile followed by a high pitched “Jimmy” (my father’s nickname). These words help set the mood of the morning because when my mother is happy, the house is happy. In all honesty, my dad’s pancakes are normal pancakes, it’s what these pancakes represent that makes the food and morning special.

        These pancakes represent a positive,  stress free, family environment where my father can be himself with the ones he loves. My dad says “I enjoy making pancakes because my wife and children love them and want me to make them. During the week we all eat cereal, oatmeal and occasionally, eggs. Pancakes are family cohesive in a way as it signifies that the weekend is here and we can all relax with something homemade, sweet, and delicious. The scent of pancakes means the weekend is here and we are happy and relaxed together”. My dad sees that these pancakes mean family time, and relaxation. We are breaking out of the weekly norm of eggs and cereal, which can signify work and school, and moving to something new and unique like pancakes, which signifies the weekend. The pancakes are helping to show that the weekend has started, and we can take a break from work and school to enjoy the people around us. My dad also sees that the ones he loves are enjoying what he has made and that is what he cares about, making us happy.

        In those Saturday mornings he is no longer Mr. Fryzlewicz, principal of the local high school, instead he is dad. The same guy that put us, as kids, on his shoulders. The same dad that makes goofy comments and dad jokes, and wants to go to the local lake to hang out for an afternoon. In those mornings, making those pancakes, he is our loving and caring dad that we remember. Silly fights that had happened the night before between my mom and dad seemed to have had happened a hundred years ago. It was as though his attention and care was solely focused on us, and showing that he was there with us on that beautiful morning enjoying the pancakes and fun of family company. He was showing that he was not off at his desk in the school, but at home with his family. Every morning when my dad made pancakes for us, the sun was always shining, even on rainy days. Believe it or not pancakes isn’t his favorite meal.

          When I asked him if his favorite meal is pancakes, he responded with a no. He explains, “My favorite meal is Thanksgiving Dinner, with turkey and all the side dishes. All of the meal is very good, everyone is relaxed, and all of the family is together to enjoy it. It is a great meal and a great family atmosphere”. Although my dad’s favorite meal is not pancakes, the meaning behind both the pancakes and Thanksgiving dinner is the same, family. Both meals represent togetherness, being with family, and taking a break from the normal meals. His views on why I like his pancakes is also different. My dad believes that I like the dish because I “readily eat them when made, [I] eat more than anyone else, and [I] seem to be a little less happy when pancakes are not made”. Little does he know that my siblings and I love his pancakes because he was home making them and being with us.

          Whenever someone says pancakes, I remember those perfect Saturday mornings where my dad would be making the perfect pancakes for our family. He goes through a lot during his week at work, from dealing with people and running a school, to managing time with his family. My dad seems to never get a break from the strain of work, except on the weekends. On the weekends he manages to find time in his schedule for his wife and kids. He returns to his goofy, normal dad state and he is there with us as a family. Saturdays are his and ours, together. On those Saturdays the sun is always shining.