Work Text:
James’s version
Two years ago, James rescued the daughter of Glynn Purnell. It was one of the easier hostage retrieval missions. Quick and easy, James delivered her to the doorstep of the Michelin restaurant her father owned. The same restaurant that served Michelin pancakes with special delivery for one Mr James Bond whenever he requested it so.
Arthur’s version
Pancakes are for children. Or so he says to Merlin, raises an eyebrow and gives an arrogant sniff. Later, he’ll mysteriously be busy with training or whatnot. But if you ask Morgana, she’ll tell you, that for the past few weeks, he’s been attempting to make the perfect pancakes, exactly the way Merlin liked it. Her kitchen is a disaster, but she doesn’t mind. The blackmail videos are worth it.
Q’s version
In a large bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 4 tablespoon sugar, 4 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in 2 cups milk, 2 eggs and 4 tablespoon oil. Mix until smooth. Forget the batter - new algorithm test run finally finished processing - only to remember it when Pampurina sits on his lap smelling like pancake batter.
And then, we have.. Merlin’s version
Merlin’s Fluffiest Pancakes
(serves 3, or 2 if someone’s hungry, or 1 if they’re a pancake fanatic)
Ingredients - DRY
2 - not so full cups of flour
4 - heaped tablespoons of sugar. Sneak more if you’d like
4 - full teaspoons of baking powder. A bit more is ok too. Just a bit.
1 - barely full teaspoon of salt. Like you can’t decide if you should put that much of it in or not.
Mix dry ingredients well. Very well. You don’t want a bite of salt.
Ingredients - WET
2 - not so full cups of milk
2 - nice sized eggs.
*For optimum fluffiness - separate the yolk and whisk the egg whites till cloud-like.
4 - tablespoons of vegetable oil. A bit less is alright.
Beat wet ingredients, but leave the cloud. The cloud goes in later.
Combine DRY ingredients to WET ingredients in small evenly sprinkled doses. Stir and mix well after each sprinkle. Do so until all wet and dry have smoothly combined.
Lastly. Carefully fold the cloud into the smooth mixture. Do not fold too much. Just enough to evenly mix the cloud in. You want the bubbles to still be bubbles.
Heat a small non-stick pan and melt some butter on it, wipe away excess with paper towel. Use a ladle to pour in the batter and let it cook on high heat for around seven seconds, then low heat for another eight. Flip the pancake while the top of it is still wet (so both sides of the pancakes will be smooth and golden brown).
Leave the pancake on low heat for a minute or so before flipping it, giving the other side maybe half a minute or more. Once both sides are evenly brown, it should be done.
Oh, let the stack of pancakes cool for a couple of minutes before adding any toppings. It’s hard to resist but really, let it cool.
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On occasion, James and Q would come over for breakfast. Merlin would be sure to make his Perfectly Fluffy Pancakes, even if they already had something else prepared.
Q would be singing praises as James looked on fondly, piling pancake after pancake on Q’s plate. Sneaking his lover his share of strawberries and cream.
James and Q may think Merlin made the best pancakes. But it was actually Arthur - who would serve Merlin breakfast in bed - of the best pancakes. But only Merlin knows that, and Arthur wouldn’t have it any other way.