Yippee, it’s pancake day...

I recently posted how in France, crêpes are traditionally served on February 2, known as Candlemas ~ La Chandeleur. Well today is the day before the beginning of Lent and known as Shrove Tuesday. To shrive someone, in old-fashioned English ~ he shrives, he shrove, he has shriven or he shrives, he shrived, he has shrived ~ is to hear his acknowledgement of his sins, to assure him of God's forgiveness, and to give him appropriate spiritual advice. The term survives today in ordinary usage in the expression "short shrift". To give someone short shrift is to pay very little attention to his excuses or problems. The longer expression is, "to give him short shrift and a long rope," which formerly meant to hang a criminal with a minimum of delay.

Shrove Tuesday is also called Fat Tuesday ~ in French, Mardi =Tuesday; gras = fat, as in "pate de foie gras", which is liver paste and very fatty ~ because on that day a thrifty housewife uses up the fats that she has kept around for cooking, but that she will not be using during Lent. Since pancakes are a standard way of using up fat, the day is also called Pancake Tuesday. In England, and perhaps elsewhere, the day is celebrated with pancake races. Where the contestants run a course while holding a griddle and flipping a pancake. Points are awarded for time, for number and height of flips, and number of times the pancake turns over. There are of course penalties for dropping the pancake.

The day or sometimes a longer period immediately preceding Lent, is also called Carnival, which means "farewell to meat." The first part of the word "carni" as in carnivorous, and "vale" as in valediction. I have always said, one last hamburger before the Lenten fast begins.

Now back to those pancakes… it is hard to believe how many different variations of pancakes there really is. It seems most cultures have their own form of pancakes. Most are like a crêpe or very thin pancake; like the Chinese ones used for moo shu dishes. In Australia and New Zealand, small pancakes known as pikelets are traditionally served with jam and/or whipped cream, or solely with butter, at afternoon tea. In India, the Pooda or Cheela is a pancake, that can be made either sweet or salty and are of different thicknesses in different places of India. In the Netherlands, pancakes are called pannenkoeken and eaten at dinnertime. Pannekoeken are slightly thicker than crêpes and usually quite large (12" or more) in diameter. The batter is egg-based and the fillings can include sliced apples, cheese, ham, bacon, candied ginger and many other ingredients.

Well you get the idea ~ I submit to you here, two of my favorite ways to serve & eat pancakes. The first is just your basic pancake batter, which I like to stack about three high and top with lots of butter and warm maple syrup. And the second, which I made this morning, is like the Dutch pannenkoeken, made with apples and puffs up like a soufflé then topped with melted butter.

Basic Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, and oil.

Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until just moist. Let mixture rest about 2 minutes. Spoon or pour batter onto greased, hot griddle or nonstick skillet.

Cook pancakes on the first side until bubbles appear on the upper surface. Turn over and cook until the bottom is golden. Slide onto an oven proof platter; and keep warm in a 300 degree oven until ready to serve.

Serves 2




Spiced Apple Pancake
For the puffiest pancake, use a cast-iron skillet. If you don’t have one, choose a heavy 12-inch skillet with a bottom that is at least 10 inches in diameter and has an oven-safe handle.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons water
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
3 to 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored
~ and cut into 8 wedges
3 large eggs
¾ cup milk
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
¼ teaspoon salt

* can substitute ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat butter, water, and ½ cup sugar over medium-high heat to boiling. Add apple wedges; cook 12 to 15 minutes or until apples are golden and sugar mixture begins to caramelize, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in blender or food processor with knife blade attached, place eggs, milk, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, adding liquid ingredients to blender first. Blend until batter is smooth.

When apple mixture in skillet is deep golden, pour batter over apples. Place skillet in oven; bake 15 to 17 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Serves 4



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George’s notes:

• Today is traditionally the day when you feast, in preparation for what you’re about to give up for Lent. It’s also a day when it’s traditional to cleanse your soul - to confess and be absolved. There are records of this over a thousand years old, written by an Anglo-Saxon monks.
• Nowadays it’s pretty much just Pancake Day. Not that this is a bad thing. Pancakes have been part of Shrove Tuesday in England for centuries. Pancake racing still takes place and is thought to have started in 1445, when a woman cooking her pancakes heard the church bells ring, calling to confession. She ran to church wearing her apron and carrying her pancake still in its pan!
• Lent is not something I think too much about in my faith, but I like the idea of cleansing the soul, then cleansing our bodies in preparation for Easter. It is also good for ones health & diet to fast.