Posted on 02/01/2008 4:52:08 PM PST by snugs
This Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday otherwise known as Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday and if you come from Britain Pancake Day.
Though all of these names are completely different celebrations and events they also signal one thing the next day is the start of lent. Many years ago in countries considered as Christian countries this meant 40 days of fasting and praying so the day before was the time to eat up all the rich fatty foods before this time of obstaying.
Pancakes are ideal foods to be consumed on Shrove Tuesday as they contain fat and eggs which were forbidden to be eaten during Lent.
Nowadays in a more secular society and more free less traditional churches the season of Lent no longer seems as important and in many cases people are not even aware of Lent and the original significance of this time of year.
When I was younger I came from a church background that as such did not celebrate Lent but in those days it was still a time when people did use that time of year as an opportunity to deny themselves something they really enjoyed during this period. I can remember friends at school not eating sweets or chocolate (candies) or going on a diet if they were overweight.
The following information on Shrove Tuesday comes from Woodland School in Kent, England which is an excellent web site for traditional British events and celebrations and traditional customs and food. This web site is aimed at children under 11 but I find it a great webs tie explaining many of my country's traditions and also Christian traditions in general.
My big meal is in the evening about 7.30
Now the hamster is that a pet or something else?
I love good homemade pancakes & you have given some great infor & recipes. My mom always did wonderful ones over the years also....from scratch. I am lazier & the rare times I make them I use one of the mixes.
Just here sharing a crepe recipe
In a large skillet over high heat, bring the orange juice to a boil. Add the sugar, reduce to medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the orange liqueur and orange sections. Set aside.
In a pot, combine the orange zest and grenadine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside.
Working in batches, gently place a crepe into the pan holding the orange juice and orange sections. Leave for 1 minute to absorb some juice.
Using a narrow spatula, remove the crepe to a warm serving plate. Roll the crepe into a cylinder. Spoon on some orange sections. Using a fork, pick some orange zest from the grenadine syrup and distribute it over the crepe. Top with vanilla ice cream and serve immediately.
Basic Dessert Crepes:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
Pinch salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon rum or Grand Marnier, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 lemon, zest finely grated
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter becomes brownish ? this gives it a nutty flavor. Don't let any of the butter turn black. Have a small bowl nearby so that you can pour off the butter as soon as it turns brown. Let cool.
In a large mixing bowl (alternately, use a blender to mix all ingredients together), blend the sugar, cake flour, and salt. Add the eggs and whisk well. Whisk in the oil and the brown butter. Pour in about 1/2 cup milk and whisk ? the mixture should form a thick paste. Pour in the remaining milk a little at a time while mixing and then add the rum (or Grand Marnier or vanilla bean), and lemon zest.
Heat the crepe pan over medium heat for about a minute. Cover the surface of the pan with clarified butter until it gets sizzling hot.
Ladle some batter onto the middle of the 8-inch crepe pan and immediately start swirling the pan to distribute the batter over the surface. Pour the batter so that it's very thin on the pan ? and remember, move the pan, not the ladle.
Cook the crepe for about 30 to 60 seconds (heat may vary) or until it's brown around the edge and dry in the center. Using a thin spatula (it resembles a long tongue depressor), flip the crepe quickly and cook for about 15 seconds.
Using the spatula, remove the crepe to a warm plate. Sprinkle the crepe with sugar. Repeat with the remaining batter. (After the first few crepes, you shouldn't have to add more butter to the pan.)
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
For more information on the Kansas celebration including schedule of events click here.
It is called Kent Lent Pie and again uses ingredients that traditionally would have been forbidden to use in Lent. So like pancakes was cooked on or around Shrove Tuesday to use up any of these ingredients that may have been in the house.
A couple of years ago our local TV station in their early evening magazine type program cooked some traditional recipes from the region and Lent Pie or tart was one of them. They advised the recipe was on their website, so I went and down loaded it and have now cooked it several times and dad has one of his favourite dishes from childhood restored to him.
I am going to make one for desert today and later today I will post the recipe and a photo of it.
It's Sunday afternoon!
:-)
I have bought some fresh blueberries to serve with our English pancakes on Tuesday which I am going to a go at making not one of my strong points English pancakes.
American pancakes easy British ones not.
I think your mum’s pancakes are what my cookery books calls Russian pancakes I will look the recipe out and post this evening.
LOL Allegra it is afternoon just in Britain but figured that it is morning in the States so call it Sunday morning ping :O)
Oh, I see. So it's all about them. LOL
YoCruch is a container of yogurt that has a special lid that holds oreo cookie bits to mix in as you eat it. (http://www.yofarm.com/ ) Only the chocolate wafer part of the cookie, though. They make many kinds but I like the Oreo.
Odwalla makes drinks and smoothies and even bars. I like their green drink called Superfood (http://www.odwalla.com/product1.asp?p=beverages&id=18)
and the Pomgrand drink which contains pomegranate juice and chokeberry, elderberry, blueberry and black currant. http://www.odwalla.com/product1.asp?p=beverages&s=essence&id=34 .
The hamster was in the pet store. It was sleeping so hard. He or she is white or a very light buff color with beige head and shoulders. Very good and industrious little person. It woke up this morning at 7:00 a.m. and after a breakfast of pumpkin seeds, has been very busy rearranging the bedding material.
The pet shop has a whole wall of aquariums full of fish, and big glass pens of hamsters, lots of birds, the usual large pile of sleeping ferrets, and two rabbits. One rabbit was brown with black flecks almost like a wild rabbit would look. The other one was white with a couple small black spots on its head including a little black Hitler mustache.
When you buy a pet you have to fill out all these papers excluding the store from any upcoming veterinarian bills, plus info about you for the State Dept. of Agriculture, your address, etc. I kept writing and thinking I just want to take the little guy home, not get him into a university. I decided it is a him and named him Basil after my favorite Fwalty Towers person.
Speaking of pancakes...
A trucker came into a truck stop cafe and placed his order. He said, “I want
three flat tires, a pair of headlights and a pair of running boards.”
The brand new blonde waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, went to the
kitchen and said to the cook, “This guy out there just ordered three flat
tires, a pair of headlights and a pair of running Boards.
What does he think this place is, an auto parts store?”
“No,” the cook said. “Three flat tires mean three pancakes, a pair of
headlights is two eggs sunny side up, and running boards are 2 slices of
crisp bacon.
“Oh, OK!” said the blonde. She thought about it for a moment and then
spooned up a bowl of beans and gave it to the customer.
The trucker asked, “What are the beans for Blondie?
I LOVE THIS ONE........... She replied, “I thought while you were waiting
for the flat tires, headlights and running boards, you might as well gas
up!”
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