Today is pancake day … originally called Shrove Tuesday … I was thinking back to my childhood when our mother would cook us pancakes … guzzling children were happy kids!
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| Pancakes with sugar and lemon |
… those were the days when for us … it was sprinkling sugar over the pancake, then a few drops of lemon juice … simple, but plain …
I've learnt that I enjoy simple food … as we used to have it when I was growing up – yet I'm the one with cookbooks for Africa and who always used to enjoy experimenting with new recipes … from said books – along with some of my mother's …
I still enjoy reading foodie books … and have a few here that I will post about …
The heart of our childhood home was the Aga – the cast iron, two door, creamy primrose coloured Aga … we cooked with it, we hugged around it, we warmed our hands on it, we dried our clothes around it, we kept the winter chills away …
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| Olney town sign |
I have never tossed, nor raced, with a frying pan in hand to the local church, pancake still frying … dressed in a kitchen apron and headscarf (particularly that bit!) - but the Pancake Race is an annual happening – since 1445 – in Olney, Buckinghamshire. (nearly 600 years)
Bet it makes a wonderful day in Olney for the kids … especially this year – as it's half-term …
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| Sign for the 2009 race in Olney |
... perhaps not so wonderful for the grown-ups ...'shrove' comes from 'shrive': meaning to confess your sins and being absolved by a priest … thankfully today we can, I hope, just sort out our own misdemeanours?!
Happy pancake day wherever you might be …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
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26 comments:
Mmmm, pancakes. I liked to roll them up with jam inside, when I was a kid. I'm not sure I'll be having any today because we've just cut into our 3rd Christmas cake of the year (my mum over-bakes and we get the proceeds!), so I'm conflicted and confused.
There are those, Hilary, for whom a confession of sins would involve the entire day, and then there are those like you and me, devoid of transgression on any kind, big or small, for whom the session would be brief! Sometimes it’s good to be delusional! Speaking of pancakes, on Sunday I took a young, keen birder on an outing and his mom came along, and brought blueberry pancakes for breakfast which we ate in the car doused in maple syrup. Better than sugar and lemon juice in my book! Best wishes from Ontario where winter has proven to be a non-entity this year. I’ll be off to Cuba on Saturday, anyway.
If you run to church with pancakes in hand, and have your sins absolved, the pancakes must be spiritually quite powerful.
I would actually prefer to put tons of pancakes on the back porch table, invite the neighbours in, apologise for whatever you did badly, then get stuck into the food :)
Shrove Tuesday was the only day we had pancakes when I was a child, like you, Hilary, with lemon and sugar.
When my children were small I made pancakes, too, but only on Shrove Tuesday and again, served with lemon and sugar.
I do hope Shrove Tuesday doesn't become just boring 'Pancake Day'.
@ Annalisa - oh well if you're still on your 3rd Christmas cake - I understand not wanting pancakes ... but do try and get past that confliction and confusion in this time of life ... after all it's Lent for six weeks now ... then I hope your mother isn't making Easter cakes?!
@ David - oh yes ... completely sinless me and thee ... and you're right I spend my life being delusional (hopefully in the best of ways) about how 'perfect and good' I am ... sadly never in a month of Sundays! Lucky you with those pancakes - sounds a lovely outing. Enjoy Cuba - I know you love the bird life and friends there ...
@ Hels - any pancakes I come across near my mouth are definitely spiritual! Your ideas about the neighbours sounds a great idea ... we should all do more of that sort of thing ...
@ Janice - I thought you might be like me when you were growing up ... and yes exactly I love our traditions ... like eating seasonally, and doing things once a year - on their appropriate day ...
Cheers to you all - and enjoy any pancakes you might find for some sustenance - Hilary
Hari OM
It is still called Shrove Tuesday. Unlike Christmas, which doesn't seem to have developed a secular name such as Over-Gifting Day or Easter (which could conceivably become Eggy Day), in the using up of all unapproved foods in the larder, as symbolised by eggs, flour and milk, it seems that making of pancakes dominated and the nickname stuck among the non-religious observers.
The next day, Ash Wednesday, was used to burn up all that was left in the larder that could not be consumed during the following forty days of Lent, a period of atonement for the sins confessed and bringing focus to Easter at its close... essentially the feast before the fast.
I have always been fascinated by the transformation of Holy Days into holidays, which somehow meant folk could revel without necessarily gaining the self-improvement intended by the festivals... (sorry, I enjoyed your post, but this is where my mind went!) YAM xx
Hi Yam - thanks for writing up Shrove Tuesday's history ... I thought about it ... but other things going on and decided to leave it as a simple post.
Your explanation is exactly right - thanks so much - while also reminding us of the changes that have occurred since the war and how our approach to traditions and the seasons has been irrevocably altered ... cheers Hilary
We’ve decided against pancakes tonight - gnocchi instead!
Pancakes were always a favorite of my husband and kids but not me. I prefer waffles!
I think I have heard the term Shrove Tuesday before. I have not heard of pancake day. Sounds like it was fun.
Pancakes with sugar and lemon juice... hmmm... I prefer maple syrup, myself, but to each his own, and really, sugar and lemion juice sounds intriguing...
Pancake racing. Hope it has a tasty ending.
Did you Aga look like that one.
Pancakes with sugar and lemon sound good! Happy Shrove Tuesday a little late. It's now Valentine's Day, but I'm in the mood for pancakes. ☺
@ Anabel - oh I'd happily have gnocchi too ... and I didn't have pancakes ... a chicken casserole before a talk ... today a dinner with x number of others ...
@ Karen - we, in those early day days, just had pancakes part of traditional life - but I do love waffles ... so I'd join you for those on another day ..
@ Liz - it's not 'pancake day - per se' but has become called that seemingly - another adjustment in societal life ...
@ John - yes pancakes and sugar, with some lemon ... oh so good. I find maple syrup too sweet - but as you say each to their own ... perhaps you'll give the simple sugar and lemon a go at some stage ...
@ Alex - pancake racing - I hope so too - and not too many picked up off the ground.
Yes our Aga looked exactly like that one - it probably was in the house when my parents bought it after the war ... it used anthracite: a hard coal ... the highest ranking of coals; while our hot-water boiler also used anthracite - they needed filling each night ...
@ Debbie - I didn't get pancakes ... but these are the sort I'd prefer to have - despite the other options now available ...
I had an early Valentine - an unexpected treat ... but tonight tis a formal dinner with a speaker ... also all good.
Thanks for your visits - taken me back to my childhood years ...
PS - it is foul here ... damp and miserable ... I guess a good day for any luvvie Valentines - not for me ... but I'm happy ... cheers to one and all - Hilary
I love pancakes and do not get many in my life. Who will I talk into going out for pancakes with me???
Me - but it's a mighty expensive date?! We need a few rich men around?! - who are free to spend that amount on two females for a night - perhaps I should say evening! - any takers I wonder, in our dreams I suspect.
Cheers H xoxo
Sounds like good memories, Hils:)
mmm. Pancakes. We loved breakfast for dinner and my mom would make a bunch of silver dollar pancakes - small in size. This would be on a Friday night when she was tired of thinking up meals. I do like your memories in this post. The idea of a Pancake Run is a hoot.
Been a busy week with Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, and Ash Wednesday. Monday here is President's Day (i.e. Mattress Sale Month. Yes, I know America is a mess)
Hope all has been going well and that you have a good weekend. Cheers and pancakes.
This brings back memories. Pancakes with sugar and lemon were favourites when I was young. An alternative was a generous dollop of syrup.
I love the look of the Aga! We don't have any pancake races around here I'm aware of, but pancake breakfasts tend to be a big charity thing.
@ Sandra - thanks ... they are fun memories ...
@ Joanne - yes ... mmmm pancakes - your silver dollar pancakes I think we call them drop scones ... also made on the Aga! The pancake race has been going for nearly 600 years.
But you're right a lot going on this week ... and Monday for you is President's Day or Washington's Day ... a holiday in some States - I don't know which. Mattress Sale Month sounds a better day to celebrate - I note your wish!!
Life ticks along ... still interesting - I hope for a more relaxed Spring ... hope springs eternal ... and I haven't yet had pancakes!
@ Ian - great ... glad the memories returned - sounds like we had the same background. I'm sure we, at times, reverted to golden syrup too ... treacle tart comes to mind ...
@ Shannon - the Aga was wonderful to have in those early days after the War - the new modern electric or gas ones are very magnificent. I guess here we might have charity pancake breakfasts ... but I don't go to them ...
Cheers to you all - it's warmish here, but damp! which means gloom - I could do with Spring turning up ... it will soon thankfully ... take care and happy end of February time - Hilary
Hey there, long time no see. I'm having a rather unproductive day and just hanging out online. I popped over to find pancakes. Yum! I always loved my mom's pancakes. Should make some soon. Have a great day!
Your pancakes look like we call crepes. Awfully good;)
@ Linda - how lovely to see you ... I will be over to catch up - life is a little hairy fairy at the moment ... I do hope you got to make pancakes - if not soon!
@ Sandra - yes I suspect the names match ... the way of the world!
Cheers to you both - we're still in cold wet weather ... Hilary
Oh, I didn't know that there was a day like this!
Hi Pradeep - Shrove Tuesday: the day before Lent begins ... when all the fats and 'bad' things needed to be consumed ... so the lenten fast could begin ... back n the day. So yes ... pancakes - I love them!
Thanks and cheers - Hilary
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