PANCAKES WITH CONCORD GRAPE SYRUP

• 2 lb concord grapes
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled (unsalted or salted)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• butter for frying

Remove the grapes from their stems and wash. Place into a large pot with 1/4 cup of water. Bring the grapes to a boil, and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Most of the grapes will have begun to seep their juices into the pot by 10 minutes, but if not, continue cooking until you have a liquid slurry, with grape mash. Remove the pot from the stove and let cool.

Strain the initial grape juice with a colander. Then, with a damp piece of cheesecloth, folded in half, strain the rest of the juice until you have 2 cups. This can take up to 30 minutes if you just let the cheesecloth hang and drip. Alternatively, you can squeeze the grapes in the cheesecloth to speed up the process, but you will likely need to strain it through the cheesecloth a second time, because of the tiny bits that have pushed through the cloth into the juice. Discard the grape mash, wash the cheesecloth, and then reuse.

Place the juice and 1 1/2 cups of sugar into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the juice has begun to thicken. Remove the syrup from the heat and then place into a glass jar, and then in the fridge to cool. Can be stored in the fridge in a tightly sealed glass jar for up to two weeks.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, with a wire whisk, beat the eggs with melted butter. Add the eggs and butter to the flour mixture and combine. Slowly drizzle in the milk, while stirring with the whisk. Once combined, the consistency should resemble buttermilk. This will make a nice thin pancake. If you prefer your pancakes thicker, add less milk.

Heat a non-stick frying pan on low-medium heat, leaning more towards medium. Place a small dab of butter into the pan. Once the butter begins to sizzle, ladle the pancake batter into the pan in whatever size you prefer. Tiny pin sized bubbles will quickly begin to form on top of the pancakes. Once the bubbles start to get a bit bigger, flip the pancake and cook on the other side for only 30 seconds. Place a small dab of butter in the pan before cooking each batch. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.