chapter XXI - pancake day

Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras (fat Tuesday) in the UK is also known as pancake day. Today we will all be making pancakes, tossing pancakes, eating pancakes and even having pancake races.

Pancake Day, is the day before Ash Wednesday. The day that 40 days of fasting is supposed to begin for Lent. It's date changes every year, depending on when Easter falls.

As a child we would be eager to get home from school as we knew we would be having pancakes for tea. Mum would be making them when we got in the door, and as fast as they came out of the pan we would devour them. Devour them with a sprinkling of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Never fresh lemons but always a squeeze of Jif lemon juice, a UK commercially available lemon juice, that comes in a plastic representation of a lemon.


recipe - pancakes
220 gm flour (plain)
220 ml  milk
002 pc eggs  (large)
004 tbs melted butter

recipe - method of preparation
Sieve the flour into a large bowl and beat the eggs together in a cup or small bowl. Add the beaten eggs to the flour with just over half the milk and the butter, beat to a smooth batter. Add the remaining milk and beat until smooth (it is best to leave the mix to rest for 30 minutes, best but not essential) 

Heat a non stick pan over a medium high heat and allow to heat thoroughly, the pan must be hot. Dip a paper towel in some cooking oil and wipe out the pan. Pour in sufficient batter to thinly coat the base of the pan, if the batter seems too much gently tip back into the bowl (the cooked mixture will stick to the pan) cook until golden brown, gently shake the pan to loosen or use a spatula and gently turn the pancake over.

OR - loosen pancake from the pan by gently tapping pan or using a spatula .... ensure the pancake is free from the pan and 1-2-3 .... toss it in the air to turn it over. Watch that ceiling and be careful it's not tossed too high! 

Cook for a further minute until golden brown. Remove from pan and serve while still hot. 

For other lovely fillings try the following

• thin down some peanut butter with milk, spread over pancake and roll up with some sliced banana
• blitz a crunchie bar in a  food processor to break into up, or simply bash it while still in its packet with a rolling pin, spread pancake with nutella and roll with some broken crunchie bar 
• roll with some mincemeat; the fruit kind used for Christmas mince pies
• spread with home made jam and clotted cream. For an easy 'home made jam', defrost some frozen mixed berries and stir through some commercial jam
• roll with sliced strawberries and lightly whipped cream
• roll and sprinkle with raspberries, maple syrup and cream
• roll with some cheese spread, chopped tomatoes and onions
• roll and drizzle with a cheese sauce and extra grated cheese
• roll with some shredded lettuce, crisp bacon and grated cheese
• use the pancakes like a tortilla and roll it with whatever savoury filling floats your boat

Next blog - Valentine's Day .....