Chicago Swedish Pancakes (Pannkakor): The Thin, Lingonberry Pancakes of Andersonville's Immigrant Bakers

Swedish pancakes, or *pannkakor*, are thin, crepe-like pancakes made from a simple batter of flour, eggs, milk, and a generous amount of butter, fried in a hot pan until lacy and golden at the edges, folded or rolled, and served with lingonberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream. According to Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, Swedish pannkakor are traditionally served rolled or folded with lingonberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream, a combination that is sweet, tart, and creamy. True North Kitchen confirms that the traditional way to serve Swedish pancakes is with lingonberry jam and butter, and that the thin, wheaty pannkakor are distinct from fluffy American pancakes, closer to French crêpes, and can tilt savory or sweet. In Chicago, the Swedish immigrants who settled the North Side neighborhood of Andersonville in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries brought their pannkakor with them, and the dish became a fixture of the Swedish-American restaurants and bakeries that lined Clark Street, where it remains a brunch favorite to this day.

The genius of the pannkakor is the butter. The batter is thin and pourable, like a crêpe, but the pan is generously buttered, so the pancake fries in a layer of foaming butter that crisps the edges into a lacy, golden frill while the center stays tender and custardy. The lingonberry jam, tart and ruby-red, is the essential accompaniment, its sourness cutting the butter and the cream and balancing the sweetness of the pancake. Eaten rolled or folded, three or four to a plate, with a spoonful of jam and a cloud of whipped cream, the pannkakor is the most Swedish breakfast there is, a dish that crossed the Atlantic and never lost its character.

About the Ingredients

Flour — all-purpose flour, for a thin, tender pancake.

Eggs — three eggs per batch, for richness and structure. More eggs than a standard American pancake, which gives the pannkakor its crêpe-like suppleness.

Milk — whole milk, for a thin, pourable batter.

Butter — plenty of melted butter in the batter and more butter for the pan. Swedish pancakes are cooked in butter, not oil, which gives them their characteristic flavor and lacy edges.

Lingonberry jam — Swedish lingonberry jam (lingonsylt), tart and ruby-red, the essential traditional accompaniment. Cranberry sauce or red currant jelly are acceptable substitutes.

Whipped cream — lightly sweetened whipped cream, served alongside the jam.

Ingredients (makes about 12 pancakes): - 3 large eggs - 1 1/2 cups whole milk - 1 cup all-purpose flour - 1 tbsp sugar - 1/4 tsp salt - 3 tbsp butter, melted, plus more for the pan - Lingonberry jam, for serving - Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Instructions: In a blender or a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Blend or whisk until completely smooth and thin, the consistency of heavy cream. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

Heat a non-stick skillet or crêpe pan over medium-high heat. Add a small knob of butter and swirl to coat. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and immediately tilt and swirl to spread it into a thin circle.

Cook until the edges are lacy and golden and the surface is set, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully and cook the other side until just golden, about 30 seconds. Slide onto a plate.

Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the pancakes and keeping them warm under a clean towel.

To serve, fold each pancake into quarters or roll it up. Serve with lingonberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: The buttery, thin, lingonberry-served pannkakor want a bright, floral sparkling drink that can echo the lingonberry tartness and cut the butter. A lavender elderflower mimosa is the natural match, its floral elderflower echoing the Scandinavian table and the bubbles lifting the rich pancake. A cranberry holiday mimosa is equally fine, its tart cranberry the closest American cousin to the lingonberry. This pairing is a sparkling toast to the Swedish immigrants of Andersonville and the pancakes they carried across the Atlantic.

Reference Links: - Classic Swedish Pancakes (Pannkakor): A Traditional Recipe (lingonberry jam, whipped cream, rolled or folded): Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant - Traditional Swedish Pancakes (Pannkakor) with Lingonberries (thin, buttery, lingonberry, traditional serving): True North Kitchen