Shrove Tuesday (or pancake day) is next Tuesday, which marks the last day before lent when people eat pancakes before the start of Lent. It is traditionally a period where you stop eating certain foods i.e. sugar, fats, flour and eggs. They would empty their cupboards of these products and make lots of pancakes before lent started.
It takes place 47 days before Easter Sunday and pancake races have been going around for years. London has a number of famous ones.
The Parliamentary Pancake Race starts from the Victoria Tower Gardens and is in its 15th Year. This has probably the most high-profile participants which feature three teams made up of MP’s, Lords and members of the press to help raise funds for the charity ‘Rehab’.
Other pancake races that take place in London are the ‘Great Spitalfields Pancake Race, from the Old Truman Brewery, The ‘Inter-Livery Pancake Race foam Guildhall Yard and Better Bankside Pancake Day Race from Borough Market.
Some original fillings for your pancakes start with chocolate (yum, yum) fruits, syrups, fudge, sugar and ice cream, or of course, flamed with brandy (crepe Suzette).
The Independent has three alternative pancake recipes for Shrove Tuesday which include Courgette and halloumi pancakes, buttermilk pancakes and masala dosas.
My favourite site for recipes is the BBC Good Food Pancake Day Selection with 56 to choose from including Red Velvet Pancakes and G & T Pancakes and yet G & T as in gin and tonic. What more could you ask…
