From Our Kitchens: Pink does not mean medium rare

Macon-Bibb County Fire Chief Shane Edwards and Carlene Howard, his administrative assistant and event planner, were more than happy to share the list of ingredients that go into those famous pink pancakes the fire department has served at the Cherry Blossom Festival for the past 35 years.

Self-rising flour.

Eggs.

Sugar.

Vanilla.

Evaporated milk.

Whole milk.

After that, though, their lips were sealed. 

Don’t count on a reveal party to find out what makes them pink.

Yoshino cherry blossom petals? Food coloring? Fairy dust?

Even ABC’s Barbara Walters was curious about the contents of the unique pancakes when she inquired about the festival on national television in 1999.

“What’s in them?” she asked. “What makes them pink?”

The answer is in a vault somewhere. The secret is as closely guarded as the chili in the hot dogs at Nu-Way and Kentucky Fried Chicken’s original recipe from Colonel Sanders himself.

And most folks are OK with that. After all, it’s a festival tradition for a good cause. 

Over the next two Saturdays (March 22 and 29)  — from 7-10:30 a.m. — the fire department will enlist between 60 and 75 off-duty firefighters and other volunteer staff members to feed between 1,000 and 1,500 hungry folks at Luther Williams Field.

The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children. The proceeds will go to local nonprofit organizations to help meet the medical needs of children in the community.

The pancakes are the star attraction, but sausage, coffee, juice and milk are also on the menu. And, since partnering with the Macon Bacon baseball franchise four years ago, plenty of bacon, too.

There will be 90 gallons of pancake batter for the revolving, custom-made cookers. Edwards and Howard use the team approach by dividing the staff into squads of mixers, pancake flippers, sausage turners, bacon friers, coffee makers, cashiers and servers.

Just call it the IFOP … the International Firehouse of Pancakes.

The crews arrive at Luther Williams as early as 5:30 a.m. and set the food line in motion for the early birds at 7. 

The tradition was started in 1990 by the late Jimmy Hinson, who served as fire chief for 24 years. Hinson borrowed a recipe – minus the pink potion – passed down by  former Macon fireman L.A. Williams. 

While serving in the Navy in World War II, Williams was asked to whip up some pancakes for President Franklin D. Roosevelt during one of his visits to the Little White House in Warm Springs. Roosevelt was so impressed he began requesting them for breakfast.

The flapjacks have been a Macon fire department staple ever since. And, no, pink does not mean they’re medium rare.

Festival-goers will get to enjoy some Saturday morning softball as they enjoy their pancakes and syrup in the bleachers at the second-oldest minor league baseball stadium in the country. 

The annual “Guns and Hoses” softball game between the fire department and sheriff’s department is on the schedule.

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