happy food: hotel style lemon pancakes {recipe}

If I close my eyes I am there.

There are palm trees and orange trees blossoming around me.  It's 72 degrees and the morning sun is dappled as I laugh with friends out on the Culina patio of The Four Seasons Los Angeles. On the table-- rich coffee, a big bowl of ripe strawberries and Lemon Cheese Pancakes. This is one of my favorite breakfast spots in the world. The food is impeccable, the sunny patio is lovely and the service is outstanding.

Recently, I was thinking of how many happy mornings I have spent at the Four Seasons with friends or colleagues enjoying breakfast in the sunshine. With all the rain here in Seattle (especially lately) I wanted to recreate this sunshiny feeling at home. So, I contacted the Four Seasons and they were kind enough to share the recipe. I made this yesterday morning for L. and it was like eating happy golden sunshine.   If you need a little hit of sun, try this recipe. It's happy food!

Hotel style Lemon Cheese Pancakes

(I have adapted this recipe a little, The Four Seasons uses cottage cheese. I prefer the flavor and texture of  of ricotta so I used this cheese instead.)

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup sugar 
4 whole lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil (I used lemon juice)

Directions:

Beat the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and oil.
Add the milk and mix well.
Sift the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and mix.
Fold in the cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese.)

On medium-high, in a greased pan, pour 1/4 cup of batter. Cook approximately 3 minutes on each side until golden. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. I also added lemon curd and Lingonberry preserves. 

Enjoy the sunny moment!