The My Neighborhood News Network introduces this Tastes Like Home column from Mountlake Terrace resident Jael Calloway.

For the Larson family, Saturday mornings meant the scent of butter sizzling on a skillet and the golden-brown folds of Swedish pancakes that were to come. Of Scandinavian heritage, Jim Larson grew up enjoying the delicate, crepe-like pancakes made by his parents on the weekends. When he became a father, he made sure to keep this tradition alive, whipping up batch after batch for his three daughters and son on Saturday mornings.

His daughter, Lindsay Young, fondly remembers those weekend mornings. “It entails a weekend, like a Saturday morning,” Lindsay said. “It brings me back to my siblings and I all lining up at the table where my dad was the chef in the mornings.”

Jim took pride in his Swedish pancakes, perfecting the recipe and technique every weekend, making sure each pancake was thin, buttery and golden brown — only perfection for his family. The tradition became a cornerstone of their family time, something Lindsay and her siblings looked forward to all week.

However, the Larson family suffered a heartbreaking loss in 2012 when Jim died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare neurological disorder. His passing left a void that was difficult to fill. But Lindsay’s husband, Ryker, knew that Jim’s legacy had to be carried on in the most delicious way — his Swedish pancakes.

Ryker Young and his children never had the opportunity to meet Jim, or “Papa Jim,” as the family calls him. But Ryker never shied away from continuing the delicious and memorable legacy of the Swedish pancakes for Lindsay and their kids. Now, when Saturday mornings roll around, it’s Ryker in front of the stove perfecting every pancake for his own family.

“Never having the opportunity to meet Lindsay’s dad, I think this was an opportunity for me to feel like I’m carrying on the legacy of him,” Ryker said. “It’s for our children and for my wife and, it gives me a feeling of knowing [Jim] or being in his presence.”

Making the tradition even more special, Lindsay’s mother, Linda, gifted Ryker a skillet that Jim had used to make his pancakes in. “It was a special memory for me to kind of kick the tradition off,” Ryker said.

The whisking of the batter; the careful, slow pouring; the flip at just the right moment. For Ryker, the process is more than just making breakfast for his family. It’s his way of honoring Jim’s memory, connecting generations and creating lasting memories for his own family.

Ryker and Lindsay’s kids now sit at the table, just as Lindsay and her siblings once did, eagerly watching their dad make their Swedish pancakes. Their eyes are filled with the same anticipation Lindsay remembers from her childhood. As they pour the syrup and add their dollops of whipped cream, the Young family participates in a tradition that began long before them. A tradition that carries the love of a grandfather they never met, but will always know through the warm, delicious Swedish pancakes they get on Saturday mornings.

Swedish Pancakes

Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup flour
1/2 sugar
Dash of salt

Instructions
Heat griddle with oil (smoking)
For each cake, pour very thin. Turn once.

If you or a loved one has a family recipe and story they’d like to share, contact Jael Calloway here.

Mountlake Terrace resident Jael Calloway enjoys telling stories and connecting with her community. In her free time, she loves baking delicious treats and exploring the outdoors on a good hike. She’s all about finding joy in the simple things and staying creative.