Dates Pancake

Still some shots left from yesterday's little exploration in an alley nearby. I was snapping away and look what I found.... dates!!! Right next to the spices man. My chinese mastery is almost none, has managed to survived depending solely on body language, gesturing and miming. A bit pathetic, I know How else do I get to bargain all of this stuff? Confidently pronouncing Duoshao qian, the only phrase I know while shopping, which means how much is this ? Then leave the rest to body language and "connecting" to them. Most of the time, they respond with a dialect that I couldn't pick up. Gave up. Usually I'll end up letting them pick the coins from my tiny coin pouch, which they must've thought quite funny and burst out laughing in the end. But hey, I make more friends this way... Bought some dates from a guy who's really curious to see what I was photographing. He kept standing next to me, peeking into my camera. Tried to bargain the price, didn't work. So I let him pick two coins from my pouch and he insisted on giving back the change. Hahahaha, they're just too honest.

Took the dates from the street market back home. A little story comes along with it. The smiles of those vendors on the street. I've gotta make something special. Cake or cookies? Sounds good, only that would be impossible without an oven. Hmmm..... must be a sweet delicacy. The experience I had and the people I came into contact with while getting these dates were pleasant. Sweet and buttery. I'm thinking pancake. Date pancake with butter and maple syrup. Within an instant the pancake was done. Pleasant aroma of warm succulent dates wafting in the apartment that morning. Buttery and sweet. Doused in maple syrup. As sweet as the story from the street market of Zhongshan.....

Ingredients:
* 2 cups of flour
* 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
* 2 eggs
* cold milk
* 1 tsp brown sugar
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
* unsalted butter
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 2 cups of dates - soaked in hot water to soften & decore

Directions:
1.) Step one is to make regular pancake, then add bits of dates
2.) Heat the pan, pour mixing onto the pan. When half cooked, sprinkle more dates on the surface
3.) Don't forget to flip the pancake
4.) Transfer to a large plate, serve with more date sprinkles and a drizzle of maple syrup

**Recipe source: my own creative kitchen