Rosa Parks’ “Featherlite” Peanut Butter Pancakes

by cookingwithauntjuju.com

This morning I received an email from Food 52 mentioning Rosa Parks’ pancakes contributed by Leslie Stephens.  Here is the link: https://food52.com/recipes/41313-rosa-parks-featherlite-peanut-butter-pancakes. I thought how appropriate for me to make these because 1) I love pancakes with maple syrup and my special honey butter; 2) February is Black History Month; 4) Rosa lived in the Detroit area for the last 50 years of her life (I have lived in the neighboring suburbs and cities near Detroit for most of my adult life and she was frequently on the news so most of us knew who she was); and 4) I love to read autobiographies/biographies of women throughout the world.

On February 25th of this year, the Library of Congress had finally been able to digitize Rosa Parks’ memorabilia which had been caught up in a legal battle (among her guardian and family). She passed away in 2005 so for over a decade her estate was caught up in the legal system. This handwritten recipe was included in her personal collection. For those of you who are not familiar with her check the link below for a more extensive insight into her life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Parks

Wikipedia describes her as: an African American civil rights activist, whom the United States Congress called “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement”. On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama Rosa refused to give up her seat in the colored section of a bus to a white passenger after the white section was filled. Can you imagine this kind of bus segregation?

Also, Loretta from Safari of the Mind recently posted an excellent tribute to Black History Month and you can check out her informative post @ http://safariofthemind.com/2016/02/23/celebrating-black-history-month/

Now, to Rosa’s pancakes which were hand written on a deposit slip from the Detroit National Bank.

Rosa Parks Featherlite Peanut Butter Pancakes, Adapted

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tbsp. baking powder (that’s right 2 tbsp.)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 1-1/4 cups whole milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I used low-fat)
  • 1 tbsp. any neutral oil or shortening

Combine the dry ingredients.  Whisk the wet ingredients until the peanut butter is incorporated and add to the dry mixture. Heat and oil your griddle. The recipe said it makes 5 big pancakes – I would make smaller ones. The pancakes have a tendency to stick, probably because of the peanut butter. They are sure delicious and a real treat for lunch today!!!

Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com

This is a last minute contribution to Fiesta Friday where the party is in full swing. Stop by and say “hi” to Angie, Suzanne and Zeba.

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49 thoughts on “Rosa Parks’ “Featherlite” Peanut Butter Pancakes”

  1. I saved this recipe into my collection on food52, it sounds wonderful and I am happy you not only gave them a try but brought them to FF. Thank you and they look wonderful.

    Reply

    • Thanks Suzanne – the recipe said “make me” this morning and I had all of the ingredients. Food 52 is such a great source – I know you are involved with them quite a bit. The recipe is delicious and I had to control myself and not eat the whole stack LOL

      Reply

  5. Love the Detroit connection to this recipe. My son would love these pancakes…bookmarked already! Thanks, Judi!

    Reply

  9. I love pancakes, and combined with peanut butter is a win win in my book. I can’t even fathom the strength that Rosa had. It’s hard to be in places where you aren’t sure if you wold be welcome let along living your entire life like that.

    Reply

  12. Love pancakes, and absolutely love these featherlite ones of Rosa Parks. Also interesting where they found the ingredients scribbled on. Thanks for the mention on my Black History month post too Judi, that’s so kind of you. I recall sitting behind Rosa Parks on the bus at the Civil Rights Museum next to the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. 🙂 Now off to make her pancakes 🙂

    Reply

    • Rosa is definitely a woman to be remembered. I have never been to the Civil Rights Museum – maybe the next time I am headed that way to see my sister. Hey, you’re welcome – you wrote a good post 🙂 Hope you enjoy the pancakes – I had to tell myself “no more” or I might have eaten all of them LOL

      Reply

  15. Peanut butter pancakes sound like a delicious idea. And if you hadn’t reiterated I would have asked you about the 2 tbsps of baking powder. Thank you for sharing the recipe and the little story.

    Reply

    • Thank you Ana – the pancakes were delicious and had just a hint of peanut butter that was not overpowering. I enjoy reading about women and their accomplishments and especially so if they have a good recipe for pancakes 🙂

      Reply

  16. i love pancakes! I would like to try, even if peanut butter is a little too sweet for me, it seems really well balanced. Cris

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    • Thank you – just provided the link to Food 52 where they show Rosa’s handwritten note. I provided most of the directions. When I was young my Mom use to fix pancakes for my 3 siblings and me (Dad too probably) for dinner – we loved them. It was fun to have them for lunch remembering Rosa and her contributions to society and the civil rights movement 🙂

      Reply

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