Rosa Parks' Uncovered 'Featherlite' Peanut Butter Pancakes

A few weeks ago a story about civil rights hero Rosa Parks splashed across the newswires. A cache of personal papers, memorabilia, photos, and writings had been discovered in the Detroit house she lived in until she died in 2005.

Guernsey's, the New York City auction house, has been tasked with placing the treasure troves with a library or educational institution, and as part of the sales process released a number of photos of the important, interesting, and quirky items from the collection. And luckily for peanut butter lovers out there (like me), one of the items was a handwritten recipe for "Featherlite Pancakes" written on the back of a deposit slip from Detroit National Bank (!).

It seems to make sense to me that Ms. Parks, as a Southerner, would have used peanut butter as a component in her pancakes. After all, Alabama, where she was born, is a major peanut growing state.

These pancakes are indeed delicious (I've made them, though unfortunately don't have the photo to prove it). People use peanut butter as a secret ingredient in all sorts of things, from chili to pancakes. How about you—ever you use peanut butter as a secret ingredient in any signature dish?