Love and honor your mother [figure, earth, nature] at The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach!
Please join us for our 3rd annual Mother’s Day Weekend Pancake Breakfast on May 12th @ 9:30 AM EST @ The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach [open to guests staying at The Neighborhood Hotel New Buffalo too — quick 10 minute drive]! This delectable pancake breakfast is brought to you by Chef Kieron Hales of Zingerman’s Cornman Farms!
Chef Hales’ career began in England at the age of 13, when he was accepted into the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. Since then, Kieron has lived and cooked in 27 different countries. His bona fides include working at the three Michelin star Paul Bocuse in France and Dal Pescatore in Italy, as well as cooking for the British Royal family and three U.S. Presidents. In 2008, Kieron emigrated to the United States to join Zingerman’s and pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations. After a few years as Executive Chef of Zingerman’s Roadhouse, he opened Zingerman’s Cornman Farms. In addition to his chef’s hat, Kieron wears many other hats as he brings his vision for our farm to life. He takes great pride in curating his beloved door yard garden, creating seasonal menus, teaching cooking classes, guiding farm tours, providing personal service to our guests, mentoring his team and sharing his love and knowledge of food with everyone he encounters. Meet him and you’ll see: Kieron’s zest for life, and specifically for food, is contagious.
A few years ago, The Neighborhood Hotel Grand Beach hosted a Mother’s Day Pancake Breakfast with Zingerman’s Cornman Farms. This breakfast raised enough money to create The Neighborhood Hotel Scholarship for NOLS which was awarded to Addison, 19, from Rockford, Michigan. Addison completed the Rockies to Baja Year Course where they actively engaged in wilderness education, environmental stewardship and leadership development. The experiences gained during this course are invaluable and will undoubtedly be carried forward into their future endeavors and life experiences. This unique NOLS course includes Backpacking in the Wind River Range of Wyoming, Wilderness First Aid, Rock Climbing in Colorado, Exploring the Canyons of Utah plus Sailing and Sea Kayaking in Baja, Mexico.
This year, the Mother’s Day Pancake Breakfast proceeds will again go to The Neighborhood Hotel NOLS Scholarship which will be awarded to another student who wants to receive an outdoor education through NOLS. Add a $50 donation to NOLS when you book a room for Mother’s Day weekend at The Neighborhood Hotel New Buffalo or Grand Beach. The Neighborhood Hotel team is excited to raise money for a second NOLS scholarship and looks forward to one day designing our own NOLS Company Trip!
Last year’s pancake breakfast raised money for Friends of Berrien County Trails — a Michigan based organization that’s also very close to our hearts!
Can’t make the Mother’s Day breakfast but interested in finding the best pancakes in Southwest Michigan?
Make pancakes in your suite OR at home & follow Chef Hales’ secret to perfect pancakes…
Mix liquids and THEN dry ingredients!
Start by whisking together the liquid ingredients until you notice bubbles forming. Then, gradually incorporate the dry ingredients. This method serves several key purposes: it effectively emulsifies the fat and water in the batter while minimizing over-mixing. Additionally, adding the dry ingredients atop the wet mixture helps prevent them from adhering to the bottom of the bowl.
Rest (the batter, that is).
Taking a moment to let the batter rest allows the leaveners to activate fully once they encounter the hot griddle. This results in pancakes that are tall and wonderfully light. I recommend allowing the batter to rest for at least 10-15 minutes. During this time, you’ll observe the batter thickening. You’ll know it’s ready when the batter has a slight jiggle when you tap the mixing bowl, as opposed to appearing thin like water. So, mix that mix and then get your toppings ready! Let the butter start to soften and the syrup warm up.
Dispense with a scoop!
Opt for a cookie scoop over a measuring cup to dispense the batter (an ice cream scoop could also work!). This guarantees that each pancake will be consistently sized, removing the guesswork from determining when to flip them and gives you beautiful, uniform flapjacks.
Use an electric griddle with temperature control — this is the best tool for cooking pancakes and gives you more space than a frying pan. Set the temperature to 375 F when preheating, then turn it down to 370 or 360 F once you start to cook the pancakes.
Go easy on them.
Don’t press down on the pancakes while they’re cooking. Peek if you need to, sure, but you want lots of little bubbles on the surface of the pancake and a nice matte brown crust around the edge before flipping. And don’t overflip. If you let the pancakes cook until golden on the first side, there’s no need to flip multiple times. Trust the process.
Don’t stack.
Allow pancakes to cool on a wire rack instead of stacking them on a plate or platter. Spread them out individually on the rack (for larger batches, line them up in a row, overlapping like shingles). Keep them warm in a low oven at around 150°F and cover them with a clean towel until ready to serve. This prevents them from sticking together and getting soggy by allowing air to circulate around each pancake.
Chef Hales’ Classic Pancake Recipe
MAKES 12 PANCAKES
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup whole milk 1 whole egg
1 cup Cornman Farms Pancake Mix
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for pan
TOOLS & UTENSILS
Medium-sized bowl Whisk
Nonstick frying pan Spatula
METHOD
1. Whisk together milk and egg in a medium bowl.
2. Gradually add dry mix, whisking until batter comes together.
3. Slowly add melted butter, stirring gently to incorporate for 3 minutes.
4. Preheat a nonstick pan on the stove over low heat.
5. Rub pan with a little oil.
6. Add two tablespoons of batter into the pan, spreading it out to a 4 inch diameter.
7. Allow small bubbles to form, then turn with a rubber spatula.
8. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
9. Serve with butter, jam, syrup, or all of the above!
The following is a list of our TOP 5 favorite pancakes near the hotels.
1. Swedish Pancakes @ Viola Cafe in Three Oaks, MI!
2. Apple Pancake @ Luisa’s Cafe in Harbert, MI!
3. Healthy Pancakes w/ Yogurt + Granola @ Jackie’s Cafe in New Buffalo, MI!
4. Berry Pancakes @ Brewster’s in New Buffalo, MI!
5. Blueberry Pancakes @ Bentwood Tavern in New Buffalo, MI!
About The Neighborhood Hotel
The Neighborhood Hotel was founded in 2020 by Jonathan Gordon — a travel enthusiast who enjoys spaces that inspire, comfort and fuel. Each suite is well equipped for short and longterm stays (i.e. kitchens, laundry, etc.). The Neighborhood Hotel transforms old buildings with compelling history into well outfitted apartment style hotels that honor the old while representing the now. The vibe is fresh and fun with rooms that are stocked to support everyone from the homebody to the adventurer. The hotels provide a basecamp for the explorer and a sanctuary for the traveler who needs to recharge, reset or just chill. The suites are simple and clean, punctuated with accents that bring the right amount of pop. The Neighborhood Hotel has locations in Chicago: Lincoln Park, Little Italy, West Loop (2025 opening) and Southwest Michigan: New Buffalo and Grand Beach.
Read about us in Architectural Digest, Midwest Living and CN Traveler! Connect with @the.neighborhood.hotel on Instagram and LinkedIn!
About Zingerman’s Cornman Farms
Zingerman’s Cornman Farms is a working farm growing 42 acres of vegetables and raising more than 150 animals. It’s also an event venue that plays host to farm dinners, weddings, parties, fundraisers, conferences, and whatever other sort of event you can dream up. The proprietors are Kieron Hales and Tabitha Mason. Cornman Farms is part of the Zingerman’s family of food establishments.
Started in 1982 by Paul Saginaw and Ari Weinzweig in a historic building near the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market, Zingerman’s Deli is an Ann Arbor institution, the source of great food and great experiences for thousands of visitors every year. Featuring huge corned beef sandwiches, an exceptional array of farmhouse cheeses, estate-bottled olive oils, varietal vinegars, smoked fish, salami, coffee, tea and much, much more. The proprietors are Rodger Bowser, Grace Singleton and Rick Strutz.
