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Posted on 02/03/2008 7:17:05 PM PST by Salvation
| A Brief History of Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) |
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For centuries, the English have celebratd Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, with merriment and antics and, especially, great quantities of pancakes. In fact, the fried flat cakes became so important to the holiday that is has also been called Pancake Day, or Pancake Tuesday. Long ago, strict Christian Lenten rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products, so keen housewives made pancakes to use up their supplies of eggs, milk, butter and other fats. They could be easily made and cooked in a skillet or on a griddle. Families ate stacks of them, and pancakes were popular with all classes. The rich Shrovetide pancakes were eaten as a ritual or symbol of self-indulgence before the fast. Early English recipes called for wheaten flour, eggs, butter or lard, a liquid (water, milk, ale or wine) and flavorings such as white or brown sugar, spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, or ginger), orange flower water, scented sugars or liqueurs. The pancakes were fried in butter or fat and served flat or rolled and sprinkled with powdered sugar, topped with preserves or doused with alcohol. A special pancake, called a quire or pancake of paper, was made very thin and usually stacked. It was likened to a quire of "wafers" or writing paper. Even the church bells that rang early on Shrove Tuesday morning summoning everyone to confession and to be "shriven" became known as Pancake Bells. They also reminded all to use up the "forbidden foods" before Lent. An old London rhyme went "Pancakes and fritters, say the bells on St. Peter's." |
And your favorite pancake is?
But remember the real meaning of "shrive." (Confession)
Hmmm... Rachel Corrie Pancakes .... though blueberry ones are pretty tasty.
Ok, you have me stumped there. Recipe please for Rachel Corrie pancakes. LOL!
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More properly called Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day is one of the church year's moveable feasts and is directly related to the date on which Easter falls. This year (2000), Pancake Day is particularly late and falls on Tuesday 7th March and not in February as is more usual.
THE ORIGINS OF THE FESTIVAL
"Shrove Tuesday" was the day in which everyone was expected to go to church to confess their sins and be "shriven" ready for the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. During the period of Lent the devout were expected to practice complete abstinence, including not eating meat, and so frugal housewives, mindful of the waste of perishable foodstuffs if they were not eaten before the Lent fasting commenced, would cook up all the dairy produce and make pancakes - filling and nourishing, to fortify their families for the lean days to come.
Obviously, the most important aspect of Pancake Day is - pancakes! These bear little resemblance to pancakes as the Americans know them, and are more closely related to French crepes.
Pancakes, English-style: (Scotch Pancakes are something entirely different!)
4 oz (100 g) plain flour
a pinch of salt
1 egg
half pint (300 ml) fresh milk
melted butter or oil for frying
Method: Sift flour and salt into a bowl and break in the egg; gradually add the milk, beating to form a smooth batter – this is much easier in a blender or food processor but do not over-beat. The batter will improve with standing – cover the bowl and put in the fridge for half an hour.
Put a small amount of butter or oil in a frying pan and heat but do not let it burn. Pour off any excess and pour in a small amount of pancake batter – tilt the pan to cover the bottom and make only a thin layer. Shake the pan and when the pancake moves freely, toss or turn and cook the other side.
Served traditionally with lemon and sugar, but equally delicious with golden syrup, jam, fruit, ice cream or anything which takes your fancy!
Note : the first pancake will be a disaster – it always is. It is known in our house as “one for the dog” and serves to season the pan. Don’t worry, all the rest will cook OK and come out in one piece.
Pancake-racing is one of the more unlikely events on the British sporting calendar and takes place in many towns and villages each Shrove Tuesday. The object of the race is to get to the finishing line first, carrying a frying pan with a (cooked) pancake in it whilst flipping the pancake a pre-decided number of times. The skill lies not so much in the running of the race but in flipping - and catching - the pancake, which must be intact when the finishing line is reached.
Where’s the bunny?
First, thank you for posting this. Shrove Tuesday has always been a favorite of ours.
I love all pancakes, but found out last Tuesday during preparation for surgery tomorrow than I can no longer eat them (and much, much more) due to wheat gluten intolerance. At least not traditionally prepared ones. So I'll have to see if they can be made without wheat somehow.
Coming after 41 days
Most importantly — The Resurrection of our Lord too!
J’aime la fete de “Mardi Gras” celebre par les Francaise de Novelle Orleans plus.
Laissez les bons temps roulez, mes amis!
Francois
**due to wheat gluten intolerance.**
Sorry about your allergy. My daughter had one too, but she found many other recipes. Perhaps a rice flour pancake?
Happy Mardi Gras to you too.
(I don’t speak French, but I am thinking that is what you are saying. Enjoying Mardi Gras down there?
I’m glad to hear that your daughter has found alternatives. I’m sure I will. too, in time.
I will probably try rice pancakes soon. I love to cook. To be honest, as much of a “big deal” as it is to have this diagnosis (Celiac), I am deeply grateful to the doctors because not eating wheat has alleviated so many symptoms and I feel better than I have in many years.
As for this year, I plan on eating whatever is brought to me after surgery until I can get around again, and will try to be grateful for that, too :)
Did you steal the idea of this thread from Snugs and our Freeper Singles group? LOL!
You can probably use rice flour mixed with some chickpea flour. Chickpea flour can be found at any Indian store.
Here are some others that both I and others have posted right before Lent:
Pre-Lenten Days -- Family activities-Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras)[Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
And so it begins - The Questions, the questions... [Shrove Tuesday]
Mardi Gras' Catholic Roots [Shrove Tuesday]
New Orleans: A Tale of Two Cities (Rosary Walk Before Mardi Gras)
I’d never heard of “Shrove Tuesday” until we moved to MA. It was always “Mardi Gras” to us in South MS. And we didn’t have pancakes. ;o)
Hmmm. Check out almond flour.
That is the strangest thing. I guess it’s a Mardi Gras and a northern thing. Go figure!
What did you ear to celebrate before Lent — or was it a whole bunch of things. I know my mom always used up all the bacon and sausage fat before Lent.
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