Peel the apple, cut into quarters, remove the seed cavities. Cut the quarters in half lengthwise, then into thin slices.
Pour buttermilk into a bowl, crack an egg and mix with a whisk. Add flour with baking soda, salt, and sugar and mix with a whisk into a uniform batter.
Add apples and cinnamon, mix with a spoon (if we want the pancakes to have a light color we omit the cinnamon).
Heat a skillet with a tablespoon of fat, spread small portions of batter and fry to a golden color for about 2 minutes, then flip to the other side and repeat frying.
Place on a plate. Fry the next pancakes on fresh fat. You can sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with honey.