February is National Pancake Month. It’s time to celebrate America’s first comfort food. Explorers found that the Narraganset Indians enjoyed “nokehick,” a kind of pancake made from a soft batter.

In this country, because bread was considered better, pancakes were served at any time. At first the pancakes were thin, like crepes, but in the 1780s American cooks began adding the leavener pearl ash to their pancakes.

After this the once thin, flat cooked batter left the dinner meal. Newly thick, fluffy, satiating fare, it became perfect for a tasty and filling breakfast.The first convenience pancake mix in this country was Aunt Jemima, now known as Pearl Milling, introduced in 1889.

Pancakes have been an important part of cultural ceremonies for centuries and became especially popular for Shrove Tuesday (this year February 21) the day before Lent begins. It is the time to use up forbidden perishables such as eggs, milk, and butter.

Some experts believe pancakes may date to th...