Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Fat Tuesday

I had no idea that Fat Tuesday was called Pancake Day in the U.K.  Here we call it Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday.   To celebrate this holiday, Kathleen and I usually splurge a little, do a little something...usually it involves Starbucks.  Occasionally we'll go to McDonald's for Big Macs.  Usually we splurge on something wicked for us, that we'll be trying to give up during Lent.  This year I'm giving up Starbucks (and Dunkin donuts, anybody's expensive hot beverages).   So being awesome, she brought Starbucks over after Sam went to preschool.
But First....my husband made Pancakes for Pancake Day.  A friend of mine in the UK was talking on Monday about how her favorite toppings being lemon and sugar.  So through discussion and research, we found that Brits do pancakes completely different.  And they would clear out the butter on Fat Tuesday and make these crepe-like pancakes.  They're a bit fatter than a crepe.  But my friend Chris said, to her spritzing lemon on them was like the smell of spring, after being in winter for so long, the fresh lemon was a sign of the happiness of spring to come.  I was intrigued.  Eric and I discussed it a bit, but I didn't think he'd do much.  But as usual, he's Wonderful, and he surprised us the next morning by making British Pancakes for Pancake Day.


This is the Recipe he followed.   


The boys tried them too.  By themselves, the pancakes are pretty bland, they don't have sugar in them like ours stateside.   So the boys demanded maple syrup for their pancakes.  Sam took a couple bites, but I think he got one with no dip, because after that, he just held that bite in his mouth for a while, until we put him in timeout.  That's been a new trick of his.  Rather than swallow something he doesn't like, he will just hold it in his mouth forever.  He doesn't seem to get that it's prolonging the agony. 


Christopher smothered his in syrup.  And Ate!


Eric was none too sure about this.  
It was almost like "hot fruit" .  But after he tried, with the lemon and table sugar sprinkled on top, we both decided we really liked them.  Maybe there's a bit of Brit in us after all! 

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