In a medium bowl, mix together the blue cornmeal, salt and sugar. Stir in the boiling water until all of the ingredients are wet. Cover and let stand for a few minutes.

In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg; add melted butter and whisk to combine. Mix in the milk. Stir the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the cornmeal mixture until just incorporated. If the batter is stiff, add a little more milk until it flows off the spoon thickly but smoothly.

Heat a large cast iron griddle over medium heat and grease it with a dab of butter. Use about 2 tablespoons of batter (#20 scoop) for each pancake. Quickly sprinkle a few pine nuts onto each cake. When the entire surface of the pancakes is covered with bubbles, flip them over and cook the other side until golden. It’s hard to tell when blue food is cooked through, so give them a few extra seconds if you’re in doubt.

Garnish with more pine nuts. Serve immediately with maple syrup or fruit preserves.