Pancakes and Mardi Gras!

[Kirstie]

Photo source: Cook'n (http://www.dvo.com/newsletter/monthly/2016/april/remedy4.html) 

Hi all,

As many of you will know, today is Pancake Day, also known as Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday and Shrove Tuesday!

Interestingly, this day is celebrated in different ways depending on where you are in the world - here in the UK we call it Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday and it involves eating lots of pancakes (in the French crepe style, not American style pancakes)! This comes from the tradition of eating up all the fatty foods in the cupboards before fasting for Lent. 

In countries where it is called Mardi Gras (e.g. Brazil, USA), however, it tends to be celebrated with big colourful carnival parades which can begin in January but end today.

So what are your favourite pancake toppings? Do you always go for Nutella or do you prefer the classic lemon and sugar? Also, a key question - do you prefer Crepes or American-style pancakes?

It would also be great to hear how you celebrate Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday where you are - is there a parade?

I've already had a pancake (crepe) today with nutella, banana and strawberry - it was delicious! I reckon that's my favourite combo :). All of the supermarkets here in the UK have an extra stock of eggs, flour and milk to make sure that everyone can buy what they need to make pancakes!

I look forward to hearing your views!

Kirstie

[Kirstie]

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[Dieneke0]

Hello @Kirstie

That is nice. Now I am Dutch but live in London. And for us Dutch it is always pancake day. We love pancakes. There are even pancake restaurants. But on Shrove Tuesday I prepare a lot of pancakes which I am taking to the office and also shared with my Airbnb host. They are big and can be prepared with lots of additions. I made them with apple, with bacon and with cheese. And then we put stroop on top of it, also on the savoury pancakes. The 'stroop' doesn't exist in England, but the closest possibly is a maple syrup. Luckily I had some Dutch stroop.

Here is a picture of the apple pancake in all its glory.

Enjoy.

Dieneke

[Kirstie]

Hi @Dieneke0,

Oo that apple pancake is making my mouth water! It looks delicious! Do you actually cook the apple along with the pancake rather than putting it on top afterwards?

I always wondered why Stroop waffles were called that - I didn't realise stroop was the sweet syrupy stuff! I bet it's really tasty with bacon and cheese 🙂

I had a feeling the Netherlands might celebrate pancake day too as the Dutch are known for their pancakes! Do you eat crepes there as well as those small tasty poffertjes? I loved eating them when I went to Amsterdam - they're delicious! There are some Dutch pancake restaurants which serve them in London which are good!

Kirstie

[Dieneke0]

Hi @Kirstie  - it is very simple as you slice the apples and then put them in the pan. You then put in the pancake mix - a good amount so that it roughly covers it. Then you just leave it bake on both sides. A bit more than half an apple per pancake. 

The other version is with streaky bacon. I grill the bacon, then half the bacon and use two bacon per pancake. Then that goes in the pan and the batter on top of it.

For the cheese pancake I used grated cheese which actually goes in the batter.

Dutch national pancake day is 24 March, but we really don't need a national day. 

There are pancake restaurants here in London where you can eat even more fancy pancakes

The stroop wafel syrup by the way is slightly different from the one we use for pancakes. The pannekoeken stroop (syrup) is very sweet and very dark. Yummie.

[Kirstie]

@Dieneke0

Thanks for the pancake making tips! I will have to try putting those other items in the pan before pouring over the mixtures - sounds very tasty!

That's interesting you have a national pancake day as well as celebrating pancake day in Feb like we do! Any excuse to eat more pancakes 😉

Ah ok so you have different types of stroop - I'm sure they are all very yummy!

When you say you prefer pancakes to crepes, what is the difference to you? I find it confusing that there are Scotch pancakes and American-style pancakes that are small, round and thick, then crepes which in the UK we also call pancakes! Pancake pandemonium :s

Kirstie

[Dieneke0]

Hi Kirsty

Crepes are very tiny and delicate and probably eaten more as a desert. It doesn't fill you enough.

Dutch pancakes are meant to be a full meal so more substantial. The batter is thicker and it has also more eggs in it - I believe

[Dieneke0]

Sorry @Kirstie and just to add, but we do eat crepes but are not that fond of it. Nothing is better than a pancake. And yes there is also something that is called 'poffertjes'. You need a special baking tray for that. They are really lovely with icing sugar, but I never made them.

[Lizzie]

Oo that looks like a yummy pancake @Dieneke0. I have never had an apple pancake, but I imagine it is very tasty. 

Here are my attempts! I think it is safe to say I don't have a future in pancake making!! 🙂

My last attempt was a little better!

Magical! 🙂

[Dieneke0]

Hi @Lizzie  - in Holland we always say that the first attempt with pancakes doesn't count. Now your second attempt looks really great! Very appealing. 

By the way the National Pancake day in Holland is the 24 March, so you can have another one. 

[Arlen1]

I'm one of the Fat Tuesday people.  I celebrate with a feast.  Even though I live alone I made shrimp and sausage jambalaya and maque choux last night.  Of course, I had to share with neighbors.  Maybe next year I'll go to  the Shrove Tuesday pancake (unfortunately, not crepes) dinners at one of our local churches.

[Kirstie]

Hi @Arlen1,

Oo a Fat Tuesday feast with neighbours sounds great! Where do the dishes Jambalaya and Maque Choux originate from? We don't have those in the UK! They sound tasty.

So there are also pancake dinners where you are as well? Are there any Mardi Gras parades there too?

Kirstie

[Arlen1]

Mardi Gras, of course, originated and still goes on in New Orleans, Louisiana, for about a week prior to Lent.  Parades and feasts lead up to Lent.  Fat Tuesday is the day to indulge before Lent starts on Wednesday.  Throughout the US people are aware of the festivities in Louisiana so some people, like me, like to make a Cajun dish(es) to celebrate the day.  When my husband was living we held an annual Mardi Gras party and invited guests to celebrate with us.  We cooked several Cajun dishes: jambalaya, gumbo, dirty rice, beans and rice, and bread pudding for dessert; we also had fancy masks and beads for our guests.   The local Episcopal (Church of England, right?) Church had a Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner last night.  They served pancakes with syrup, breakfast sausage links, what we call fried apples, orange juice, and coffee.   

[Kirstie]

@Arlen1

How intersting! Thanks for filling me in on the Louisiana traditions! Those Cajun dishes sound delicious :). Sounds like the church had a great pancake feast too - you seem to have the best of both worlds with the Mardi Gras celebrations as well as the pancakes!

Kirstie

[Dieneke0]

@Arlen1

What a lovely tradition - didn't know it existed. Thank you for sharing

Dieneke