Shrove Tuesday

Did you eat pancakes yesterday? I did and they were delicious. I was introduced to this custom last year by friends in an Anglican church and once again this year we ate pancakes---along with sausages and applesauce.

We ate pancakes because it was Shrove Tuesday yesterday. In some countries it is called Pancake Day. I was intrigued by this so I looked up some facts about Shrove Tuesday and how it is celebrated around the world.

The word "Shrove" is from the verb "to shrive" which means to hear confessions.

Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday) marked the beginning of Lent, when faithful Christians were forbidden to eat meat, butter, eggs or milk. So in order to use up those items, a solution presented itself--make pancakes.

Today the Shrove Tuesday pancake tradition is popular throughout Western Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia but is also found in traditions of other countries. For instance...

In Sweden it is called "Fettisdagen" and the pancake is a round bun with the middle scooped out and filled with whipped cream.

In Canada things such as coins, wedding rings and buttons are added to the pancakes. The person finding these items will be rich, the first married, a seamstress or a tailor.

In Hawaii the day is known as Malasada Day and because the occupying Portuguese ate doughnuts made from butter and sugar.

In England, in addition to eating pancakes, there are pancake races when points are awarded for time, the number and height of pancake flips, and of course penalties for dropping the pancake.

And in the U.S.? Well, it's too late now but did you know that every year IHOP gives out free short stacks of pancakes?

As for me in Mexico, I will enjoy eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday as long as my friends continue to invite me!