Where can I find a Traditional Pancake Recipe for Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day?”
A pancake is a thin, flat cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side. A crêpe is a very thin pancake cooked on one or both sides that is rolled and stuffed. Depending on the region, pancakes may be served at any time, with a variety of toppings or fillings including jam, fruit, syrup or meat. Etymology: The Middle English word Pancake, appears in an English culinary manuscript 1430. Regional varieties: United Kingdom English pancakes have three key ingredients: plain flour, eggs, and milk. The batter is runny and forms a thin layer on the bottom of the frying pan when the pan is tilted. It may form some bubbles during cooking, which results in a pale pancake with dark spots where the bubbles were, but the pancake does not rise. English pancakes are similar to French crêpes, and Italian
Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it is also known, is a much loved day in our calendar as it is the day we all indulge ourselves by eating delicious pancakes! This year Shrove Tuesday falls on Tuesday 16th February and across the UK there will be people practicing their pancake tossing before covering them in sugar and lemon. So how did Shrove Tuesday start? Well the word ‘Shrove’ comes from the old English word ‘shrive’ which means to confess ones sins. The tradition of Shrove Tuesday began when Christians had to clear out their pantry before Ash Wednesday which marks the start of Lent. Today many people give up just one thing for Lent, however hundreds of years ago all meats, eggs, milk and other rich foods were given up for 40 days to remember when Jesus went into the desert and fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.
