Next Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it has become more widely known. 

What is Shrove Tuesday?

It’s the traditional feast the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.  Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – is traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins).

A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and apparently is still sometimes rung today.

Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year and falls between February 3 and March 9.  This year, it falls on 4 March.

Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

Some Eating Out Suggestions

Here are a couple of ideas for you if you fancy going out for a treat on Tuesday, and also, below that, some great recipes (one of which is of particular note if, like me,  you listen to The Archers on Radio 4)

Middle Eastern Style with Ottolenghi

Ottolenghi in Richmond is open! It opened this week and here are some links to recipes with an Ottolenghi twist. 

Savoury lovers, rejoice – Grilled pancakes with harissa cabbage and taleggio bring the perfect melty, gooey bite. Recipe here

Sweet with a twist – Pancakes with maple brown butter apples and sesame praline take indulgence to the next level. Recipe here or available at the deli’s if you prefer to let someone else do the work.  If to,  head to an Ottolenghi deli (Hampstead, Islington, Spitalfields, and now Richmond) for a stack of flavour-packed pancakes.

The King’s Head for a Royal Treat

In Teddington The King’s Head is offering a zesty dessert next Tuesday

They’ll be serving zesty, fiery Crêpes Suzette to share.  You’ll enjoy Lemon & orange-infused pancakes, drizzled with Cointreau sauce, garnished with orange segments and flambéed tableside with Cointreau. Served with Jude’s Vanilla Ice Cream –  it sounds like a flipping fiery treat!

And a Fabulous Recipe from Miele

Whether it’s classic batter, fruity variations, or extra-light and airy pancakes, home cooks are getting ready to flip, stack, and serve up their favourite creations.

Here below are some links to some great online recipes that will give you inspiration, but before that, in honour of The Archers,  I couldn’t resist sharing this recipe from Miele for these Fluffy Japanese Soufflé Pancakes

Fluffy Japanese Soufflé Pancakes   

150g self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp sea salt

1tbsp. vegetable oil

180ml whole milk

2 eggs, divided

2tbsp. caster sugar

¼ tsp. white wine vinegar

Oil spray

  1. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a bowl. Add the milk, egg yolks, oil, whisk well and set aside until needed.
  2. Using an electric whisk, start whisking the whites and the vinegar and when frothy, add the sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated.
  3. Gently fold in the whites into the batter and set aside.
  4. Using a large non-stick frying pan over a low heat, grease two non-stick crumpet rings and place them in the pan. Fill the rings about two thirds full with the pancake batter, put a lid on and cook for about 10 minutes on a very low heat.
  5. Flip the rings very carefully and cook for an extra two minutes.
  6. When ready, keep warm and serve with cream and maple syrup, or whipped coconut cream, ground cardamom, passion fruit and coconut chips.

Miele has the essentials covered with a foolproof American Pancakes recipe.

For those with a sweet tooth, Dualit’s Fresh Lemon Pancakes and Breakfast Blinis are a decadent choice and also vegan.

Meanwhile, for those who prefer savoury dishes, STAUB and Naturally B’s Salmon and Avocado Crêpes will go down a treat.

And for an easy plant-based or gluten-free option, STAUB and Naturally B’s Banana and Berry Pancakes recipe ticks all the boxes.