Ole's Swedish Hot Cakes

Photos and Recipe Posted with Permission by the Little River Inn

On my list of "must do's" when I return home for a visit to the Mendocino coast in California is going to the Little River Inn for breakfast.  Simply put, they have the best breakfast on the coast.  It's not uncommon for us to be there two or three times during our stay.  One of my favorite dishes is their Ole's Swedish Hot Cakes.  A little dusting of powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon on these is heavenly. The thin crepe-like texture is so light compared to traditional thick pancakes.

The Little River Inn is rich with family tradition and history.  The inn opened in 1939 by Ole and Cora Coombs Hervilla.  It had been the Coombs family home during the early shipping years in the 1900's.  One day Ole asked his mother in law to turn her living room into a bar.  To quote the Inn's website, "Back in 1939 the bar was also the office, where he conducted business while bartending, smoking stogies and telling tall tales. Change was made from his cigar box, and the one key that worked in every lock was given to the occasional city slicker who insisted on locking their door at night. A 1939 photo of the bar reveals the exact same ocean view room so popular today as Ole’s Whale Watch Bar."

View from Ole's Whale Watch Bar

Today the Little River Inn is owned and managed by the fifth generation of the Hervilla family.  When you walk in the door, it's as if you are walking into their family home.  Many of the favorite menu items are family recipes including their famous hot cakes.

Ole was famous on the coast for grilling abalone and his recipe of Swedish hot cakes.  He had a special grill he adapted to make those cakes.  The recipe is still made on Ole's grill and many guests consider them the best they've ever had.  Please enjoy this recipe at home. . . but if you are ever on the Mendocino Coast in California, please dine or stay at the Little River Inn for the real thing!

This recipe serves four.

(For best results – pay attention to all four of the secret tips!)

Secret Tip #1: Make batter 12 to 24 hours before serving & refrigerate

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix the above ingredients together

• 1 ½ cups milk
• ½ cup half and half

Mix and combine with above ingredients

• 3 eggs

Separate whites from yolks and beat whites until stiff.

Beat yolks and add to batter.

Secret Tip #2: Gently fold in whites of eggs.

• ¾ cube of butter (or 6 tablespoons) butter, melted

Secret Tip #3: Gently stir butter into batter

Secret Tip #4: Refrigerate overnight and stir very gently before griddling.

For perfect-textured hotcakes, the batter should have tender pockets of butter throughout.