Back to Chris wrote:

> > Why spend money on pancake batter when even the most modestly supplied
> > kitchen should have the basic ingredients, flour, salt, sugar, baking
> > powder, eggs, milk and vegetable oil. They are a heck of a lot better than
> > anything you will get out of a package.
> >
> >
>
> Not everybody keeps all that stuff on hand. I think homemade pancakes are
> best, and that's what I usually make, but every now and then (on vacation,
> for example) we buy the just-add-water kind, and they're surprisingly good.

I can't imagine even the most crudely supplied kitchen not having those items on
hand. They are basic staples. Well, perhaps not the baking powder, but that is
pretty cheap. A small can of that would keep someone going for a long time if
they don't use it often. It's bad enough that one might not have those staples
on hand to make pancakes when the urge strikes, but it would be even worse not
to be able to enjoy a stack of them because there is no mix on hand. There are
lots of things in the world that are a lot easier with a mix, and not to bad to
eat, but pancakes are simple, easy and cheap to make from scratch.



> I once read a review of just-add-water mixes, and Hungry Jack Buttermilk was
> determined to be the best (can't remember who did that review...one of the
> magazines I read, or possibly the local paper food section). So when we buy
> a whole box of the stuff, I tend to buy that. For camping, we get the
> Bisquick shake-a-pancake mix: you add a cup of water to the plastic bottle,
> shake, and pour the batter into the hot pan. They're pretty good!

Camping or canoe tripping might make the use of a mix worth while.