1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This dry mix is where you’ll build your pancake base, just like Mama Lu taught me—simple, reliable, and unpretentious.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and vinegar (if using). Whisk gently until everything is blended into a rich, ruby-red batter.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix—lumps are okay. I remember standing beside Mama Lu, learning that patience is key in cooking, and pancakes taught me that lesson well.
4. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with melted butter. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles but not so hot that the butter burns.
5. To create the heart shapes, use a squeeze bottle or a piping bag with a medium round tip. Fill it with the batter.
6. Draw heart shapes on the skillet by squeezing the batter gently, starting with the two rounded lobes at the top and then pulling down to form the point. If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, you can carefully spoon the batter into heart shapes, though it takes a steadier hand.
7. Cook the pancakes for about 2-3 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set. Flip carefully with a spatula and cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes until golden and cooked through.
8. Remove from the skillet and keep warm on a plate covered with foil or a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as needed.

One of my fondest memories is making breakfast with Mama Lu on chilly mountain mornings. She never rushed, always reminding me, “Good things take time, honey.” These pancakes are a testament to that—taking a little extra care to shape and cook them just right makes all the difference.