Shrove Tuesday, on March 4, offers us the chance to join the time-honoured
tradition of frying and tossing pancakes, before filling them with wild and
wonderfully imaginative treats.
Also known as "Fat Tuesday" or "Mardi Gras," Shrove Tuesday began as a day of
preparation for Lent.
The English custom of eating pancakes was a means of using up eggs and fat,
which were forbidden during the 40 day festival.
For hundreds of years, households have gathered around the stove in eager
anticipation of the annual sugary scoffathon. But when push comes to shove, are
you left with picture-perfect pancakes or crumbling crepes?
According to Thane Prince, co-proprietor of the Aldeburgh Cookery School in
Suffolk, the secret to cooking a good pancake is a hot pan.
"Some people don't realise that you have to heat the pan for five to 10
minutes before pouring in the batter. It is the single biggest mistake that
amateur chefs make."
Prince recommends a thin batter mix to make a smooth, crisp pancake. "If your
batter looks too thick add water to the mix, which helps to thin it down.
"You should eat them straight away as well. If you stack them up and wait a
while they will never taste quite as good."
As former This Morning chef Susan Brookes explains, pancakes have long held a
place in local folklore.
"The first pancake is always a dud so there is an old Yorkshire custom that
you throw it out to the hens. The number of hens that come and peck at the
pancake equals the number of years before you are going to get married.
"Then, there is the Pancake Bell in Scarborough. They used to ring the bell
to remind people it was time to get the batter made."
Brookes is adamant that practice makes perfect when it comes to pancake
making.
"You have to get used to your pan," she says. "The main thing that can go
wrong is making the pancake too thin or too thick. If it is too thick you have
put too much batter in for the size of the pan."
Brookes, who now works for Yorkshire Television, warns against cooking the
pancakes for too long. "Don't leave them to stand too long in the pan. Cook the
first side for one minute and the second for 30 seconds."
The traditional way to enjoy your Shrove Tuesday pancakes is with lots of
sugar and a squeeze of lemon, but over the years a variety of exciting fillings,
both sweet and savoury, have evolved.
Brookes recommends a New Orleans recipe involving bananas, cinnamon, rum and
banana liqueur.
She has also created her own variation on the sizzling French favourite
crepes suzette, which she appropriately christened crepes Susan.
Her recipe trades the traditional orange-based stuffing for apricots and
yoghurts, using apricot brandy for the final, fiery flourish.
Pancakes are undoubtedly one of the world's staple foods. From Europe to
China via North America and Mexico, pancakes and their siblings are devoured in
a variety of ways.
In Italy they are used to make a form of Cannelloni, while the Hungarians
enjoy theirs with almonds and icing sugar. Ever the kings of excess, Americans
combine the subtle sweetness of a blueberry pancake with lashings of salty
bacon.
"Every major food culture has its own pancake," adds Brookes. "It is a basic
food which has sprouted so many alternatives from the Mexican tortilla to the
Russian blini."
Whatever you choose to do with your finished crepe, for many people Shrove
Tuesday is all about the fun of the flip. But, I ask Thane Prince, should you
really toss the pancake in the pan?
"Certainly," she replies. "It doesn't add anything to the flavour but life
belongs to the bold.
"Make sure it is not stuck to the bottom of the pan
and give it a good flip. And if the first one lands on the floor,
everybody gets a laugh and at least the dog gets some
breakfast."
Shrove Tuesday, on March 4, offers us the chance to join the time-honoured
tradition of frying and tossing pancakes, before filling them with wild and
wonderfully imaginative treats.
