This year Shrove Tuesday is on 17th February. Traditionally in the Christian Calendar this marks the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Shrove Tuesday gives those who observe the period of Lent (40 days before Easter) an opportunity to use up all the rich food in the house before embarking on five and a half weeks of fasting, abstinence and giving extra thoughts to charitable works before the great 50 day celebration of Easter. Eggs, milk, sugar and all other rich foods remaining in the house from Christmas (really? You haven’t scoffed all your Christmas chocolate yet?) should be consumed. These days, outside of church circles, the season of Lent seems to have fallen by the wayside and Easter eggs are already in the shops. However Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) or just simply Pancake Tuesday is universally acknowledged. What fillings will you be putting on your pancakes? And what will you give up for Lent?
The pancake has a very long history and featured in cookery books as far back as 1439. The tradition of tossing or flipping them is almost as old: “And every man and maide doe take their turne, And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne.” (Pasquil’s Palin, 1619).
The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year: Eggs ~ Creation Flour ~ The staff of life Salt ~ Wholesomeness Milk ~ Purity
Enjoy your pancakes tomorrow.
Taken from this interesting article on the web:
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