Pancake Tuesday in Ireland
Pancake Tuesday in Ireland is also known as Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday. The day is celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which is also known as Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday. This is the last day of fat eating (alcohol, desserts, carbohydrates, etc) and traditionally pancakes are consumed.
"Shrove Tuesday" comes from the word shrive, meaning "absolve" and on this day you "make a special point of self-examination, of considering what wrongs you need to repent, and what amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth you especially need to ask God's help in dealing with." (source: Wikipedia)
"Meat was banned and most Irish families ate only one small meal per day, probably potatoes, without the usual butter and milk! On the day before Ash Wednesday all the rich foods in the house had to be used up. Eggs and milk were among these." (source: good food Ireland)
In our house, Lent means fasting and giving up our favorite foods. We give up red meat, alcohol, fried foods and desserts. Yes, by the time Easter comes, we're cranky but a few pounds lighter. Meat is not eaten on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday or any Friday during Lent. You'll see a lot of creative vegetarian dishes posted on this blog during that time.
In South America, Pancake Tuesday is called Mardi Gras – ‘Fat Tuesday’, which has the same religious connotations. Let's face it, it's a day to gorge your face and eat like a glutton until you can eat no more. You know that for the next forty days and forty nights you'll have to absolve from these foods so you eat as much as your stomach allows. This sounds a little excessive but people have been doing this for hundreds of years, who am I to question a good feast?
In Ireland, the traditional way to eat pancakes is from the pan, with lemon juice and sugar sprinkled over. Americans need to add additional calories to the simple pancake breakfast and smoother them with maple syrup and butter. In our house, we don't use the butter but always have some sort of fruit or fruit compote with our pancakes. I make my pancakes the way my husband's Dad did with a little bit of oil in the bottom of the pan so the edges of the pancake are crispy and fried.
When it comes to maple syrup, only the real thing from New England will due. Hey if I have to give up sweets for Lent, I'm going to make sure my glucose levels go over the top today!
Let's get cooking you'll need:
Aunt Jemima Original Complete Pancake Mix (why re-invent the wheel when this is easy and tastes great?) Prepare according to directions.
Here's where I invest the time, I make homemade blueberry compote.
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp corn starch
Over low heat, blend all the ingredients (except the corn starch) in a small pot. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil and stir often.
After 5 mins, (the blueberries start to break down), remove from the heat and add the cornstarch. Do not add the cornstarch on the heat or you'll have dumplings.
One thing I won't skimp on is maple syrup, Trust me on this one, spend the extra money and order REAL maple syrup. I like New England Maple Syrup by LL Bean (HomeGoods carries it). It needs to be dark, very thick and extremely sweet.
No matter if you call it Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday, is the day that we have permission to eat, party and empty the cupboards of all things that are bad.
Did you know that "Mardi Gras is a French term brought to America by French settlers to Louisiana. It literally means ‘Grease Tuesday’ ?" (source: IrishAmericanMom)
May your days be many and your troubles be few,
May you enjoy your pancakes and a Guinness or two!