Gat.... oh!

Sometimes part of the joy of food is anticipation. Plenty of people daydream about perfectly roasted turkey, savory stuffing, and sweet, creamy pumpkin pies in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Lots of others plan their birthday cakes well in advance. (I know I'll be making a fudgy chocolate cake with French silk icing for a friend in just over a month.)

What would you imagine if friends asked you over because they were making a gateau? If you didn't already know that was a fancy French word for cake, a quick internet search could tell you as much. Many definitions would even mention that gateaux are usually iced and/or filled with custard or other delicacies. Maybe you would spend the day imagining rich layers of chocolate, nuts, fruit....

Now, imagine your friends have a copy of 1974's Suppers and Buffets by Marguerite Patten. The author, unbeknownst to you, is using a different connotation of gateau, one that focuses more on the bread aspect of cake than the sweet one. You will have to think quickly when your friends present you with this:

Objectively, pancakes layered with creamed cauliflower are pretty weird, but they wouldn't necessarily be terrible if you liked cauliflower and knew that was what to expect. Adding the word "gateau" to the title, though, seems like it would make the whole idea harder to swallow....

I also love the line "Top the pile with the chopped chives and parsley, if liked." The author somehow seems to think that the potential problem with this recipe is that some people may not like chives and parsley as a garnish. I have trouble imagining anyone who would be excited by the prospect of pancakes with creamed cauliflower but would see a bit of parsley on top as the real deal breaker.