Seasonal bites are all the rage these days, and with Halloween on our doorstep, pancake pioneers Stack and Still are no different.
This week, for two days only, they are doing a special Halloween creation pancake, and Scottish Field was given an exclusive preview of the tasty treat that’s all thrill and no chill.
But, of course, before we go for dessert, we need to start with a main course.
I chose the Seafood Stack (£9.50), which comprises a stack of three pancakes, smoked salmon, citrus creme fraiche, beets, pickled onions, parsley and a lemon dressing.
The pancakes themselves were wonderful – I decided to try something different from the usual buttermilk, so decided to go with the buckwheat version – essentially, it’s a wholemeal pancake. Pleasant and puffy, they reminded me of the ones my granny used to make. Not too sweet, but still enough of a taste to let you know there’s a little bit of sugar there.
The stack was glorious – I love smoked salmon and can tell a good piece of fish from a bad one, and this was a good cut. The creme fraiche was pleasantly flavoured with lemon, without being too strong a taste, and the accompanying beets and pickled onions added a delicious freshness to it.
If I had one suggestion to improve the dish, I would suggest the addition of some prawns, with a little marie rose sauce, which would add another texture into the mix.
My companion went for the Big Breakfast Stack (£9.50). She chose the option with buttermilk pancakes, smoked bacon, black pudding, sausage, sauteed mushrooms and baked beans.
The extra ingredients are sourced from throughout Scotland, part of owner Paul Reynolds’ commitment to support local suppliers. And wow. The black pudding and sausage left her wanting more. The black pudding is full of flavour, but the real winner here were the sausages. They were packed full of flavour, and, thankfully, not too much fat.
If you had a hangover, this would be a great pick me up – grease, flavour, different textures… what’s not to like?
I was given a taste of the beans to try, as they are made with a maple ketchup. Normally, I wouldn’t touch beans with a bargepole. In this instance, I finished the lot. These beans should be in the shops.
Our junior diner didn’t think she could manage a full stack on her own, so opted for her own creation. She wanted to go for shredded beef brisket, topped by the beer gravy. I think the idea of having beer gravy appealed – this 13-year-old has drinking ideas above her station! She also opted for the buttermilk pancake.
And she wasn’t disappointed. The brisket was cooked to perfection – it fell apart beautifully on the fork, and was tender and easy to chew. Accompanied by the grave, it made for a delicious combination.
Surprisingly, the pancake and gravy combination was also a winner, and this was a good way of using up the remaining gravy at the course’s conclusion!
Of course, the main reason for our visit was the dessert. The limited edition Halloween stacks are only available on 31 October and 1 November for £9.50.
The Halloween stack is an orange buttermilk pancake stack layered with chocolate orange mascarpone and chocolate sauce and topped with a fondant icing spider web, orange zest and chocolate Oreo spiders made with Smarties and orange Matchmakers.
It’s impossible to go wrong with this flavour combination. Chocolate orange and pancakes were made to be married, and the attention to detail with the spiders is great fun – the wee ones will love it.
My companion’s choice was the Salted Caramel and Banana Stack (£9.50), with buttermilk pancakes, banana, chocolate chips, mascarpone, salted caramel sauce, and chocolate sauce.
These ingredients are a recipe for success. Banana and salted caramel work wonders together, and withthe drizzling of the sauce, it pulls the whole dessert together. My companion was unable to take the three pancakes on offer, so went for an easier two.
Our final choice was the Nutella and Mascarpone Stack (£9.50), comprising buttermilk pancakes, Nutella, mascarpone, honeycomb, chocolate chips and caramel sauce.
Just when you think you can’t eat any more, you have to push through the pancake sweats and make it to the end. It’s worth it – and this combination definitely was. The mascarpone is great when mixed with the caramel sauce, and we suggest that you order an additional scoop of ice cream to go between the different pancake layers, to keep them moist and ready to eat. The raspberry and mango ice cream is a dream to behold – it looks like it should be a sorbet, but it’s definitely an ice cream. The honeycomb is a great addition, giving a more firm texture to the softness of the pancake and mascarpone.
Stack & Still have scored another success with their Halloween creation – what will Christmas bring? I can’t wait to find out.
Stack & Still is based at 100 West George St, Silverburn Shopping Centre and Glasgow Fort.
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