Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, comes about each year during either February or March, depending on when Easter is. The history behind Shrove Tuesday is that it is the last day before Lent and falls 47 days before Easter Sunday. A lot of the time individuals will give up something in their diet during Lent, such as chocolate. Shrove Tuesday is about using up all the ingredients that are usually not allowed to be consumed during Lent, such as milk, butter, sugar and eggs.
In Britain we traditionally put lemon and sugar on top of a pancake, then roll it up to enjoy. Pancakes are easy to make, with the basic ingredients of eggs, plain flour and milk, which makes the liquid which can then be fried in a frying pan.
A Pancake
In general pancakes can vary in the world and the definition of a pancake can be different to where you are. In Britain, pancakes are traditionally very thin and are often served rolled up with a variety of ingredients inside. Pancakes can be either sweet or savoury. In Britain it is traditional to squeeze lemon and sprinkle sugar on top. The topping will depend on the person eating the pancake. other popular fillings are fruit, jam and chocolate.
A Crêpe
If you visit France then you will find that many places are ready to serve you a mouth watering, freshly made hot crêpe, given to you to eat at that moment in time. This is a popular snack for those passing by. Crêpes are different to pancakes as they are often much larger than the traditional british pancake, and they are much thinner than an American pancake. This is due to the fact that they are often cooked on a large round hot plate. A crêpe is easy to make, with the fact that the liquid has been made up in large amounts and the hot plates are always heated up and ready to use. Crêpes are often served in French restaurants as a dessert with many flavour options, such as lemon Grand Marnier, Nutella and ice-cream.
American Pancakes
American pancakes are popular in many diners and are popular to eat for breakfast. If you visit any American diner such as Denny’s or IHOP, you will see pancakes are a very popular item on the menu, with a variety of fillings, both savoury and sweet. To make american pancakes different to British pancakes, a raising powder is used to make them thick and fluffy. American pancakes are also quite a bit smaller than British pancakes and are traditionally served with golden maple syrup.
