Janice's 'Oh My Gawd' Pancakes Explain Why Chandler Kept Coming Back
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In light of the recent passing of the late and great actor Matthew Perry, it only feels appropriate to highlight a fan-favorite persona that Perry helped bring to life in the hit series Friends: Chandler Bing. Fans of the show grew to know Chandler for being the easy-going, sarcastic neighbor from across the hall who was best friends with Joey and Ross, but carried a torch for Ross’ sister, Monica Geller.
Though there was so much to love about Chandler, there was one aspect of his life many fans hated, and that was his on-again off-again relationship with the one and only Janice Hosenstein. If there was everything to love about Chandler, there was everything to loathe about Janice. It wasn’t just her voice and her laugh that made her the worst, it was her all-around presence and complete lack of awareness.
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For seasons, fans of Chandler couldn't figure out what he saw in her, or why he couldn’t let her go, but a peek into Season 3, Episode 1 titled “The One With the Princess Leia Fantasy” might provide the answer to the question: Her pancakes!
I must admit that the pancakes didn’t appear to be that enticing on the show, but if they were anything like this recipe found in 2020's Friends: The Official Cookbook, then there might be some room for understanding.
So, in honor of Matthew Perry, I decided to grab the ingredients needed and head right into the kitchen to give these pancakes a try.
Get the recipe: Janice's Oh. My. Gawd. Pancakes
Courtesy of Dante Parker
Ingredients for Janice’s Oh. My. Gawd. Pancakes
To get started on your own batch of these pancakes, you'll need to make sure you have a few simple ingredients handy: cinnamon, vanilla extract, ricotta cheese, the zest and juice from one large lemon, Muscovado or granulated sugar, milk, eggs, flour, baking powder and some butter for cooking.
How to Make Janice’s Oh. My. Gawd. Pancakes
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s extremely easy to follow. I mean, it's so simple, even Joey could do it!
All you need to do is take a large bowl and combine the cinnamon, vanilla, ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, milk, and eggs together. Mix the ingredients well, about 2-3 minutes. Then, sift together your flour and baking soda, folding each gently into the wet batter.
Next, heat some butter in a large pan on high, reducing the heat to medium-low after the butter has melted. Scoop about half a cup of batter per pancake into the pan and cook on each side, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Now that you’ve successfully made your own batch of Janice’s Oh. My. Gawd. Pancakes, you can either sit down to enjoy them yourself or try your luck at blindly flipping them over your back towards your “friends” as did Joey in the season four episode, “The One with Rachel’s Crush.”
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Courtesy of Dante Parker
What I Thought of Janice’s Oh. My. Gawd. Pancakes
These pancakes are so much easier to stomach over the sight, voice or even thought of Janice Hosenstein. The only thing that could bring me to enter the same room as Janice is if she was holding a fresh plate of these little airy delights. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so if Janice was serving these bad boys up on a regular basis, I have to cut Chandler a little bit of slack for boomeranging back to that awkward relationship so frequently.
These pancakes are absolutely delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a lighter or airier pancake. They almost melt in your mouth with each bite. The combination of cinnamon, lemon and ricotta is a delightful trio.
My only wish is that there was a bit more lemon added to the recipe, but that’s an easy fix. I’m strongly considering throwing out my box of Bisquick and Pearl Milling Company mixes and making this my standard go-to recipe for future pancake breakfasts.
Courtesy of Dante Parker
Tips for Making Janice’s Oh. My. Gawd. Pancakes
Up the lemon. Unless you are overly sensitive to the taste and acidity of lemon, I say double down on this ingredient. When I think of lemon ricotta pancakes, I really want to taste the lemon. So with my next batch, I plan to add the additional zest and juice of a second lemon.
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