Burton fire department pancake breakfast 2022

Century Village Museum in Burton Village provides interesting ways for people to learn about history.

But the museum, located at 14653 E. Park St., also has become popular for the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts it serves on Sundays during the month of March from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In 2022, people who have frequented those breakfasts over the years are once again able to feast on pancakes inside the museum’s Lennah Bond Activity Center.

Last year, Century Village Museum, which is owned and operated by the Geauga County Historical Society, exclusively used a drive-through format to provide patrons with pancake breakfasts. This system was put into place in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Although drive-through service is still an option in 2022, the crowds have returned to enjoy indoor dining at the museum’s pancake breakfasts.

Clearly, the chance to eat an unlimited supply of freshly prepared plain or blueberry pancakes, topped with maple syrup that’s produced on site, is the main attraction. However, people enjoy attending the event for other reasons, as well, according to Linda Taurisano, a Geauga County Historical Society Board member who’s in charge of the pancake breakfasts.

“I think it’s also because of our atmosphere and the people who are working — our volunteers,” Taurisano said. “We all get along well together and have fun.”

Taurisano estimates that 20 to 25 volunteers team up to conduct each Century Village Museum pancake breakfast.

“We have the Burton-Middlefield Rotary (Club) in the kitchen helping to make pancakes,” Taurisano said  They’ve helped us for the last three years, and I have other volunteers who help as well.”

The volunteers assist with tasks such as welcoming and accepting payments from diners, and preparing pancakes and sausage in the Bond building kitchen. Some volunteers also make their rounds through the dining room and respond to requests for second and subsequent helpings of pancakes from hungry patrons.

Pancakes are cooked throughout the five-hour breakfast on four separate griddles. One of the pancake chefs on March 20 was Matt Rambo, a member of the Rotary Club of Burton-Middlefield.

“You get into a rhythm back here (in the kitchen) and it’s fun to make lots of pancakes,” he said.

Each individual breakfast consists of all-you-can-eat pancakes; two links of sausage, with extra available for an additional cost; milk or orange juice; and a small cup of applesauce.

Many of the seats at the long tables inside the Bond building already were filled by customers within the first half-hour of the March 20 breakfast.

Derek Carlson of Newbury Township was enjoying the event with his wife, two children and some extended family members from Hiram and Chardon.

“Burton’s a perfect meeting point to have a great pancake breakfast,” Carlson said.

Rose Krebs of Madison Township said Century Village Museum serves excellent food at its pancake breakfasts. She also likes the opportunity to visit Burton Village.

“Just the fact of being in the community,” Krebs said. “It’s always nice to come here.”

In addition to Century Village Museum’s gathering, other all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts held each Sunday during March include sessions sponsored by Berkshire Boosters at Berkshire High School; the Burton Fire Department; and Burton-Middlefield American Legion Post 459.

Geauga County Historical Society has been holding its all-you-can eat pancake breakfasts for about 25 years, Taurisano said.

“It got started in a church located on the museum grounds, but it got so big we had to move it over here to the Bond building,” she said.