I have been seeing signs everywhere for Pancake Day. I thought -- "how nice -- like a pancake breakfast for a school or something." But then people at work started talking about it. Wha?
Apparently it is an Actual internationally recognized Day. Jeez -- is February THAT dull that we need to name a day after flapjacks? Well, here it should really be called Crepe Day -- because what they call pancakes are FAR from I-Hop's ideas.
Actually, pancake day's official title is Shrove Tuesday -- hich is the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. Since Lent is a time of abstinence - traditionally of meat, fat, eggs and dairy products - so Shrove Tuesday was the day to consume the last of the fat, eggs and dairy products in the kitchen prior to this period.
I think this is also the notion behind Fat Tuesday -- although that seems so much more about jazz and public drinking.
For those of you who are as un-enlightened as I was -- read all about the history of Pancake Day. And Shrove Tuesday.
Proving that it really is the tumbleweed season of activity.
4 comments:
dear sweet carol,
you were raised roman catholic? and you never knew all of this? you needed to point your URL to a web site to learn of the tradition of pancakes the night before Lent? huh? you know that we are supposed to abstain from alcohol -- as well as meat and sex in Lent. this is why people let loose with Fat Tuesday; it's a last hurrah before Easter. unless St. Patrick's day falls in the Lenten season -- then we typically get a reprieve for green beer and rivers (if in Chicago) and all.
did you know that we roman catholics are meant to mark ourselves with ashes tomorrow? word to the wise: it's not toner from the photocopier.
Lent/Schment. We only paid attention because it meant Fish Sticks or Scrambled Egg on a Bun for lunch at St Mary’s on Fridays. We never learned about any pancake business. Lent is for when Tom decided to give up pie. And Mary Jaffe gives up chocolate. Mary Rabatin gives up popcorn. I gave up Lent. I have been cleanly innocent of such Tuesday debauchery. I do feel better knowing that I have ALL MANNER of learned Lenten leaders in my circle.
I usually wait 4 Maple syrup Festival. Big pancake day in spring time.....later..ppl.
I support C's Lent/Schment comment in that it never meant pancakes to us. Pancakes meant Dad was cooking dinner. Fish sticks meant Lent, as did the purple drapery on the altar. (I secretly liked Ash Wednesday as the ashes made me feel holy all day long).I believe I may have liked Lent a good deal more if it involved getting your own pan to walk around with, flipping flapjacks on the street.
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