Log Cabin Flapjacks

During the late 1930s and early 40s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) constructed hundreds of park structures throughout numerous national, state, and local parks. The undeniable attraction of this aspect of the park system, was achieved in part through the use of time-tested tools, master-craftsmen style construction, and creative and rustic design elements in the majority of park building sites. Robbers Cave State Park, OK. Photo © 2016 R.L. Peterson

Greetings friends and welcome in to this edition of Zero528.

This weeks exciting blog brings many likes together – breakfast, log cabins, and the CCC. Add some of this music and the experience is complete.

Log Cabin

Log cabin is loose term generally considered to define a quaint rustic structure consisting of a variety of materials including round or hewn logs, clapboard siding, mortar, rock, and/or some combination of these natural materials.

To many visitors to historic and scenic Ozarks, the pioneer log cabin and house provides a glimpse into Missouri’s rich past. Image public domain

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

This blog entry is devoted to the unheralded feats of natural resource improvements implemented across the United States by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – one of the most creative and successful New Deal programs put into action by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on the heels of The Great Depression.

While the CCC is widely known for their conservation efforts, they unquestionably contributed the lion’s share of manual labor necessary for the construction of a multitude of various types of park buildings and structures.

Caney fire lookout tower complex once used by the US Forest Service on the Mark Twain National Forest (MO). Photo © 2016 R.L. Peterson

CCC projects included administrative buildings, equipment and maintenance buildings, concession and refectories, bathhouses, picnic shelters, outbuildings, signs, bridges, dwelling complexes, garages, drinking fountain “bubblers,” water supply pump-houses, and fire lookout towers.

Original designs were simple in form and functionality yet durable and sensitive to the regional characteristics, heritage, and local materials available at each site. Naturalistic effects were incorporated to give the structures the appearance of having sprung naturally from the ground (McClelland, 1998).

The largest group of structures was constructed by the CCC or the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

Photo © 2016 R.L. Petersen

Each man-made feature quaintly nestled within the boundaries of national, state and local parks and national forests, grasslands, and monuments, provides enjoyment even if examining original blueprint and design layouts.

Dolliver Memorial State Park, IA. Photo © 2016 R.L. Peterson

Having developed the concept of a ‘master plan’ for each specific site, landscape architects, designers, planners, and engineers enlisted from the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service collaborated on the design details of the CCC projects.

As a point of interest, had it not been for the CCC the rustic log cabin architectural style might have disappeared altogether (Weslager, 1969). Lake Murray State Park, OK. Photo © 2016 R.L. Peterson

Log Cabin Flapjacks Recipe

The word ‘flapjacks’ conjures thoughts of an innocent and bygone era and images of a warm down-home breakfast deep in a backwoods log cabin somewhere in rural America.

Get ready for a real treat… oh joy!

Wet ingredients – prior to being mixed in the Small Nordic Ware bowl. Photo © 2016 R.L. Peterson

Dry ingredients being combined in the Large Nordic Ware bowl…tasty at this point. Photo © 2016 R.L. Peterson

Pour batter onto preheated Lodge Cast Iron griddle…ahh! Fun silver dollar-sized! Photo © 2016 R.L. Petersen

Log Cabin Flapjacks! Photo © 2016 R.L. Peterson

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer combined with 2 Tbsp. water
• ½ cup (4 oz) unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup Almond Breeze Almond Milk-Original
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill Baking Soda
• 1 Tbsp. Bob’s Red Mill Cane Sugar

Instructions

1. In a Small bowl, combine ‘egg’ replacer and water, applesauce, and almond milk. Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients
2. In a Large bowl add the dry ingredients and mix together before adding contents of Small bowl. Mix until incorporated, but be careful not to over-mix. Over-mixing causes the gluten in the flour to activate and this will result in hard, chewy flapjacks
3. Spread a small amount of organic coconut oil into Lodge Cast Iron griddle and heat to medium (350°)
4. Once the batter is gently mixed and the griddle heated, pour batter into desired size flapjack – the smaller, the easier to flip
5. Flip the flapjacks when the edges begin to dry and bubbles appear in the center
6. Once flipped, allow to cook for a few more minutes
7. Set on cooling rack and serve

Makes 22- 25 silver dollar-sized flapjacks

Suggested toppings:

• Krema/Crazy Richard’s Crunchy Peanut Butter
• warm maple syrup (no high fructose corn syrup)

“Enjoy and keep a good thought!” Bob P.

Credit where credit is due:

All images and photos © 2016 R.L. Peterson except where noted

Recipe adapted from runningveganrecipes

Literature cited:

McClelland, L. F. 1998. Building the national parks: historic landscape design and construction. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Weslager, C. A. 1969. The log cabin in America: from pioneer days to the present. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, N.J.

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