Why pancake mixes are not inherently evil.

Friends, it is dead easy to make pancakes from scratch.

It is well within the abilities of all but the most impatient to collect and mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt, all as more particularly set forth in Alton Brown's recipe for Instant Pancake Mix.

But friends, I am here to tell you the three little words that make it okay to buy pancake mix. They are "check expiration date." Unless you do a very serious amount of baking with baking powder and baking soda, there's a good chance that the can of baking powder in your kitchen cabinet and the box of baking soda in your refrigerator are out of date. Chances are, you will be able to go through a box of Bisquick well within its expiration date.

While the purple azalea and truffle pancake mix available at your local Whole Paycheck Market for $9.95 for 10 oz. may be an abomination, pancake mixes are not inherently evil.