So as many of you may realize, today is Pancake Day, or more appropriately, Shrove Tuesday for those of a Christian persuasion. It is the day before Lent, the fasting period before Easter. Traditionally, this day was for using up all that fatty butter and milk and sugar since it wouldn’t be needed for some 40 days. This day is also known as Mardi Gras, which literally translates to Fat Tuesday. It’s one last chance to party…at least until Easter. While throughout Lent us secular plebs will eat hot cross buns (their appearance at Safeway being the only signal to me that Easter is coming) and continue our bad habits with no observation of religious holidays, we can still observe today as an excuse to eat breakfast for dinner.

Even vegans can enjoy pancakes with these from http://veganyumyum.com/2007/01/pancakes/

Pancakes:

Pancakes, also known as flapjacks or hot cakes, are the most popular option. My sister-in-law makes this pancake recipe from Nigella Lawson.

My co-worker, Sarah, also swears by this pancake recipe and I believe her. No one knows food like Sarah.

Crepes:

My  husband is from South Africa. Being from the Southern Hemisphere, he’s a built a little backwards *wink*. When you talk to him about pancakes, he thinks you are talking about crepes. Actually, he calls them roll up pancakes, and fills them will apricot jam and douses them with sugar and cinnamon. It’s one of the few dishes in his repertoire and they are good! This recipe looks pretty good too:

Potato Pancakes:

The irony of serving potato pancakes (or latkes) for Shrove Tuesday is not lost on me. However, these doughy potatoey morsels are not just for Hannukah. In fact, while they take a different form, they are also known in Ireland as boxty. This potato pancake recipe is highly rated and looks good to me! I like to serve them with apple sauce and sour cream.

What’s for dinner tonight in your house?