March 8, 2011: just another Tuesday to mark off my calendar and just another Pancake Day to England gone by.
Hold the phone (you now say) – what the heck is “Pancake Day?” At least, that is what I said…before I was educated (and fed) by my flatmates on the subject.
“Shrove Tuesday,” more commonly known in the U.K. as “Pancake Day,” marks the traditionally Christian celebration of the day before Ash Wednesday. (Ash Wednesday is the first day of ritual fasting for the season of Lent, the 40 days before Easter.) According to chiff.com, Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of “shriving” or confessing of sins, expected of the faithful before Lent began. Because fat, butter, eggs and milk were traditionally forbidden during Lent, adding a bit of flour to make pancakes was a quick fix to get rid of those ingredients. Today (much like Christmas Fest at St. Olaf) Christians and non-Christians across England equally celebrate the day and make pancakes.
When one of my flatmates pointed out that Shrove Tuesday is marked on her calendar, I noticed that Mardi Gras (above International Women’s Day) is marked on my American calendar. While personally, all that comes to mind are parades and flying Mardi Gras beads, thanks to Wikipedia I was reminded that Shrove Tuesday has the same roots as Mardi Gras – minus the pancakes. Most famous in America for its celebration in New Orleans, Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.” Again in the Christian tradition, Mardi Gras is meant as a day for eating fatty foods before giving them up for Lent.
Now – let me return to the pancakes.
I took the above photo in my flat’s kitchen; the pancakes on the stove were made generously by two of my flatmates.
Upon entering the kitchen for dinner, I immediately noticed something unusual. These “pancakes” my flatmates were cooking were not at all what I had in mind. Instead of the thick, golden, Perkins-style stack my mouth was suddenly watering for, facing me on the stovetop were thin, white, crepe-like objects. Instead of being served in a stack, these “pancakes” were doled out one by one and meant for rolling up. Additionally, there was no maple syrup to be found. Instead, I saw toppings of butter, sugar, and lemon juice.
For a split-second, I found myself wondering the impossible: had I been hearing the word “pancake” wrong all day? Had, in fact, my flatmates really been saying and making…Lefse? (If you need reminding: the traditional Norwegian flatbread the Caf serves with Lutefisk during Christmas Fest.) In retrospect I realize, this was pretty dumb, but still what I saw looked just like Lefse…
Kindly, my flatmates reassured me they were, of course, making pancakes. They also explained that Pancake Day pancakes, unlike American-style pancakes, are made without separating the eggs and without sugar or baking powder – hence their Lefse-like appearance. Also, a bit of research reminded me that to make Lefse, one needs potatoes, milk or cream, and flour. (Glad I have that figured out now.) At the end of the day, English pancakes, American pancakes, and Lefse too, taste equally great, and I hope (if I’ve made you hungry) you’ll go make some or share some with friends, family, or someone special. I’m thankful to my flatmates for their teaching – and their pancakes.
Check out this link for helpful videos on how to make an “American Pancake” and how to make a “British Pancake”: http://www.chiff.com/a/shrove-
*Lucy Casale ’13 is studying at Lancaster University in Lancaster, England for second semester.