Made from scratch

@KathrynCartini, Multimedia Storyteller

There are plenty of advantages to living in downtown Newburyport, MA, some of which backfire on me when I try to stay away from delicious treats like homemade apple pie, gourmet cupcakes and enormous pancakes. But when the aroma from the griddle at 17 State St Cafe caught my attention, there was no stopping me.

Almost hypnotized, I entered the cafe/diner/restaurant/lounge and directed myself to a bar stool. Ever since 17’s recent review by Phantom Gourmet, I’d been struggling with the need for a Black & Bleu Burger, Southern Fried Chicken or their famous Blueberry Pancake.

After placing my order with long-time bartender Keri Fowler (now running Plum Crazy on Plum Island) I sipped my hot coffee and chatted with a couple in town for a Newburyport wedding, until a Giant Blueberry Pancake was placed in front of me, and then I couldn’t concentrate.

The size of the entire plate, these buttermilk pancakes are a 1/2 inch think, made from scratch and served with a scoop of blueberry butter on top.

As I poured the maple syrup over the pancake, the butter melted in all directions perfectly. In that moment, I made the right decision to indulge.

And while my eyes are always bigger than my stomach, I still attempted to clean my plate. Though since I left some pancake behind, I consider this a success re: my diet.

#LemmeDoIt