Buttermilk Peach Pie Pancakes

Our peaches are on right now.  We planted the tree shortly after we moved in 9 years ago, and it has proved to be a healthy producer.  This year's late frost thinned the fruit crop down substantially, but also somehow yielded us the biggest and best textured peaches we've ever gotten off of it.  I've mostly been freezing them (dipped in a lemon water solution first to reduce browning), but this morning I got a hankering for that peach pie flavor.  While it might be frowned upon to eat actual pie for breakfast, I figured that the following recipe was a nice compromise.

Peach Pie Pancake Topping

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 T. cornstarch OR 4 T. Ultragel
1/2 t. each ginger and cinnamon
5 large peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

Stir the water, sugar, thickener and spices in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Stir in the peaches, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and the peaches are tender.  Serve warm over pancakes.

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup whole white wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/3 c. oil
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk

Whisk together the dry ingredients while the griddle preheats.  Stir in the wet ingredients until well combined.  If needed, stir in a little bit more milk or buttermilk to achieve the consistency you prefer.  Ladle 1/4 cup amounts onto a hot griddle and cook on the first side until the bubbles on the surface pop and leave holes.  Flip over and cook on the second side until golden brown and cooked through.  Slather with butter and heap a generous amount of peach topping on top.