Rubenerd

Welcome to September, a month representing an absurd amount of progress through 2023. Isn’t it supposed to still be May? I find myself in Melbourne for work and related matters, which gives me an opportunity to discuss a topic that’s been near and dear to my heart for many years.

Check out this spectacular piece of culinary engineering:

This is a POPCAKE automatic pancake maker, and its ubiquity in Australian airport lounges of all stripes has made it a staple of Clara’s and my travels. After we’ve cleared security and immigration, we make a beeline for this machine. It’s fast, fun, and tasty!

You operate the POPCAKE by indicating the number of pancakes you wish to make with the horizontal number pad. Don’t make the mistake of pressing the number 2 twice if you thought it failed to register, or the machine will dutifully pump out 22 pancakes on the table. Unless that’s what you want; I’m not judging.

Upon selecting the desired quantity of flattened comestibles, you press the large OK button in the upper-left of what I dub The Cockpit… much to Clara’s chagrin. This is, as they say, when the magic begins.

When the machine is directed to produce a pancake, a fixed quantity of pre-made pancake batter is injected (some may say unceremoniously) onto a moving conveyor belt, upon which it travels through the machine to be subjected to rapid heating from lamps mounted above. This cooking process takes less than a minute, after which the completed pancake exists the machine, and drops on the plate you hopefully placed below it.

One-touch pancakes! It’s great!

Are they the best, fluffiest, most artisan pancakes you’ve ever had? If you have to ask the question, you know the answer. But as the writing end of a pencil says to the other side, that’s not the point.