Maybe you’ve seen his website. Or maybe you’ve heard about him on Facebook. Maybe you saw my post about his amazing AT AT pancake a few weeks ago, here on GeekMom.com. And maybe, just maybe, you’ve been living under a rock,and haven’t been introduced to the newest thing since fancy cupcakes. In a word, it’s pancakes. More specifically, Jim’s pancakes.
A few years ago Jim Belosic had a simple request from his two year old daughter. It was a lazy Saturday morning and she wanted pancakes. As he heated the griddle and mixed the batter, he was reminded of childhood pancake memories with his own father. He thought he’d jazz it up for his daughter, and maybe make her a fun (simple) shape, like Mickey Mouse. But he underestimated his daughter’s imagination. She wanted a princess.
The next day she raised the stakes. She wanted a Ferris Wheel. And her daddy didn’t let her down. Soon Jim began posting pictures of his creations online, for friends and family to see. Online encouragement and interest skyrocketed until the book publishers came a calling.
His book, called OMB Pancakes! 75 Cool Creations Your Kids Will Love to Eat, has been one of my favorite books to examine for review. The pages are laid out perfectly, with an easy to follow ‘recipe’ for each design. It has just the right number of pictures. Not only does each page have a large picture of the final product, but many smaller pictures of the process, which I found most helpful.
Of course the book begins with suggestions from Jim, from which squirt bottles work best to dispense your batter, to making (and coloring) the perfect batter. Just a few minutes after picking this book up, I really did believe I could possibly make a pancake creation as complicated as a 3-D airplane or a cheeseburger with fries (yes, made out of pancake batter). If you think you know what’s possible when it comes to making shapes out of pancakes, you might have to open your mind a bit. Jim and his crazy imagination will take you to a new frontier.
Although you might not believe it, I don’t even know Jim Belosic, but the first time I clicked over to his website, I was hooked. Being the mom to four kids, I’ve made some pancakes in my day. I’ve even tried some of the pancake molds on the market. But I love the opportunity to use our own creativity and imagination to make whatever shapes we want, not having to rely on a mold that always seems to stick. Jim inspired me to head back to the kitchen, and start again. And his amazing book helped me to open my mind to much more than circles, when Sunday morning pancakes hit the plates in our house this week.
OMG Pancakes! is available, as of today, at many book retailers. Take a peek, if you’re ready to impress your kids and add some jazz into your breakfast routine.
