The rest of the world gets Mardi Gras but England gets pancakes?!?!? My husband's colleague invited us over for pancakes tonight because it was Pancake Tuesday. I had to look it up on wikipedia to understand -- Shrove Tuesday. So I hope everyone enjoys their festivities -- we're eating . . . pancakes.

Same principle: eat up all the fat before the privations of Lent (not that many people do that any more).

Just about every Anglican/Episcopal church in the US will be having a pancake dinner tonight as well.

It is Shrove Tuesday/ Pancake Supper night in most United Churches here in Canada, too. Then we have to rush home and watch the results of Super Tuesday in the US to see who gets shriven...politics as a spectator sport, who can resist?

Yes, pancakes tonight after that Anglocatholic "Mass with hymns"

Quick question -- my husband asked if we could bring anything and they said we could bring lemons. Is there any thing else we could bring? I was thinking strawberries but is there anything else more traditional?

BKP,

Can't go wrong with lemon curd--always a favourite in my family with pancakes. Fresh strawberries seem a tad too decadent for this pre-Lenten meal...

I just saw a very loooong queue in front of Selfridges at lunchtime today. They were giving away free pancakes freshly cooked up by chefs.

Interestingly, I heard that some CoE bishops are lobbying for cutting back on carbon emissions (that includes travelling by air!) during Lent.

Feb.2 is crepe day in France (Chandeleur).

BKP - Just a word of warning "pancakes" = "crepes" - amd traditional serving is with sugar and lemon juice

The supermarkets are selling things like maple syrup, honey and Nutella as well, for people who've travelled...

The supermarkets are selling things like maple syrup, honey and Nutella as well,>>>>>>

The dirty low down scumbags. This country is going to the dogs.

You could also try cointreau to make crepes suzette - which is filthy foreign muck.

You will also have to make a lot of jokes about "tossing".

Thanks for all the help. We ended up bringing lemons and strawberries. They were delicious. Happy Pancake Day to everyone else!

This thread brings back fond memories of the Shrove Tuesday pancake dinners the men of the Episcopal church in the small city I lived in for decades always hosted. Wonderful pancakes and good company!

It's pancake day here, too.
Pancake day came to Newfoundland (Canada) with the British settlers who make up a substantial percentage of our ancestors.
I have no small children, so at least I don't need to boil a quarter or a ring!
http://tinyurl.com/3b9wyj
There's probably a pancake supper in every small town here.
I put partridgeberries in mine. Similar to cranberries...but better.

Hi BKP,

we did the pancake, lemon, sugar thing tonight but i sneaked myself some maple syrup as well. sorry, CW, I know it's heresy.

about 50 years ago, the village we used to live in in Kent instituted a Hot Pot supper on Shrove tuesday -we each made a stew or pud, then gathered in the village hall for a night of feasting and frivolity. they should just about be going home now. happy days.

don't know if anywhere else in the UK has done a similar thing- if so, I've never heard of it. shame - it was a lot of fun.

regards, ann

"instituted a Hot Pot supper"

That would be Soup -er Bowl Tuesday wouldn't it?

I am Jewish and I have breakfast on Sundays with two Catholics. They mentioned Lent starting on Wednesday. I asked if they were going to have pancakes for Shrove Tuesday and they had no idea of what I was talking about. Glad to know I wasn't wrong.

guess because I grew up in New Orleans......but as an Episcopalian (sorta/kinda) - I have never heard of a pancake supper on Shrove Tuesdays!

Just finished filling ourselves with crepes sprinkled with sugar and lemon juice, at the behest of my Brit SO - and what a good idea it was! We didn't get to sit down though - he maintained that you have to eat them fresh out of the pan (apparently learned when his mother was doing the cooking), so we took turns making our own and waiting impatiently for the other to finish up so we could start the next one! I need to get another well-seasoned cast iron pan of the appropriate size for next year.

pancake supper at church tonight, cooked by the youth group...