Best Pancakes- 7/13/12

Pancakes are a favorite way to start the day. “I love pancakes every morning because they’re so good.” “When I’m really in the mood, I love to have some pancakes.” Consumer Reports testers went undercover to find who makes great-tasting buttermilk pancakes – eating at five major chains, including I-HOP, Denny’s, and Cracker Barrel. “Now, an excellent pancake should be tender and moist, not wet and pasty. When it comes to the flavors, you really want get that hint of the grain.” I-HOP claims its pancakes are “award-winning with … authentic country flavor.” Tod Marks “The I-HOP pancakes looked better than they tasted. As the pancakes cooled, they became kind of tough.” Denny’s pancakes tasted as if they came from a mix. So did ones from Country Kitchen. The best pancakes came from Cracker Barrel and Perkins. They were cooked to a nice golden brown and tasted freshly prepared. But even with the best restaurants, Consumer Reports found it’s better to order pancakes in the morning. Tod Marks “When we ordered the pancakes off the all-day menu, we sometimes found that they picked up flavors of other foods cooked on the grill. And frankly, they weren’t as good.” As for the syrup, Cracker Barrel was the only restaurant where it contains real maple. Though it wasn’t 100 percent pure maple syrup, Cracker Barrel does serve it warm. .”