Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the buttermilk, the egg, and 1 tablespoon of oil, and stir just until blended, being careful not to over mix. (Lumps are okay.) Let the batter stand, covered, in the refrigerator, for at least 1 hour, and up to 8 hours. If necessary, thin with extra buttermilk after resting.

Preheat a large, heavy skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly grease and leave a film on the bottom of the pan.

Working in batches, ladle the batter about 1/2 cup at a time into the pan. Cook until golden brown and bubbles start to form on the top, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm.

To serve, divide the pancakes into stacks among 4 plates. Pour syrup over each stack and sprinkle with powdered sugar and pass the butter at the table. Serve immediately.

Note: To make heart shaped pancakes, grease a metal heart shaped cookie cutter, spoon the batter into the center of the mold and let the pancakes cook over a low heat until you see lots of bubbles forming on the top. Gently slide the cookie cutter off of the pancake and gently flip over. Continue to cook until golden brown.

We added a few drops of red food coloring to turn the pancakes pink. This is optional.