In recent months, a hot cake It has appeared on all social networks and is at Bobo Café, with branches in Roma Norte, Condesa and Narvarte. Bobo is open all day, but as the hours pass the menu changes; in the afternoon the star is the burgers – and it changes its name to Bobo Burgers – and in the morning, before noon, people line up to taste it hot cake large and soft, with lots of butter and a secret syrup that gives it a sweet and slightly salty flavor at the same time. So special that it deserves its fame.
This dish is the result of six months of testing in which Bobo’s team mixed recipes, cooking techniques, syrup and honey combinations and suddenly something happened. Chef Ricardo Ríos explains that “we were trying it and we were committed to perfecting it. Here we organize recipe tournaments to start testing and everyone makes their own version. In other words, tournaments are the soul of Bobo. When we tried this we knew it, we turned to look at each other and it was like: ‘That’s it, boy!’. We all went crazy.”
Him hot cake Bobo is specifically a pancake because it is made in an iron pan, not on the griddle, hence its perfect circular shape. The name corresponds to the cooking or cooking method – sometimes, as in Bobo, they are cooked in the oven – but the basic recipe for these pancakes, as they are also called, is similar and has the same origin: it was created by European immigrants to the United States.
These sandwiches became so popular among the American population that in 1889 the Quaker Oats company industrialized the flour and packaged it in a small box with the image of a woman with a scarf tied on her head, baptized as Aunt Jemima: the model was a real woman named Nancy Green, who was a cook and slave, and an important activist for the rights of the African-American community. If you can no longer find these iconic boxes in the supermarket it is because the brand disappeared after the death of George Floyd and as of 2021 it is Pearl Milling Company.
Aunt Jemima, the one we all remember, arrived in Mexico in the seventies and thousands of us children fell under the spell of those sandwiches with melted butter and dripping with maple syrup. For Ríos, this is the magic of pancakes: “It’s a nostalgic theme. I see when it arrives (at the table) and people dance, move their shoulders, as if it were a very childish moment, that’s why we decided to make it so big, it’s like a gift.” This dessert is to be shared or given, as Ríos says, a very nice gift.
Bobo, a project by Carlos Salame and several partners, is inspired by gringos, but is more contemporary. Its cuisine is led by Ríos, originally from Monterrey and close to the influence of frontier cuisine. So, before having the pancake, try the burrito with eggs, bacon and salsa verde or the tatemada, and enjoy a truly complete breakfast.
In a restaurant family tree, you might say Bobo’s grandfather is from Klein, founded in Poland in 1962. With Formica tables and iconic chairs upholstered in orange; famous for its chilaquiles and some hot cakes called “dolar”, accompanied by maple and artisanal cajeta. They’re smaller and come in orders of four or eight, or you can add as many as you need to satisfy your craving.
Sunday is the day to pamper yourself and have a taste hot cakes That’s why some places like Cana restaurant, located in Juárez, include them in their Sunday brunch. These are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, also because they are baked in the oven. Order them even after 12.00.
THE hot cakes They can also be different, there are those who prefer the combination – very gringo – with the addition of fried ham or bacon, together with fried or scrambled eggs. A bittersweet winning combination. There are also those who prefer honey to maple syrup or jams. At El Tigre Silencioso they give them an extra kick and serve them with fresh sliced bananas and dulce de leche sauce, they also add corn to the dough, so it’s a mix with our beloved cornbread.
And although this dish is American, the Japanese have created their own version, which borders on the level of fluffy perfection. In Mexico City, one of the most popular is Panya Sam, which specializes in Japanese canteen fare. The order includes three hot cakes; They are almost clouds with matcha cream, granola and blueberries (although they usually have other flavors depending on the season).
Which do you prefer, the ones made by your mom, the classic gringo ones or the super soft ones?
