Pancake Day / Shrove Tuesday
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**chezp** · 02-24-2004, 02:37 AM

Do you have this in the States and if so, will you be celebrating by making pancakes tonight?

We can't stand them, so we won't be bothering!

elbug10 · 02-24-2004, 02:50 AM

I never heard of it. Does it have anything to do with Mardi Gras? I know literally that translates to "Fat Tuesday" and is supposed to be one last celebration before the sacrifice of Lent, which starts tomorrow, Ash Wednesday. Please explain what it is. Now you've got me wondering!

BostonTeaParty · 02-24-2004, 06:42 AM

Shrove Tuesday really is more a Brit thing, Cheryl, but I think it's a hoot. We have pancakes almost every weekend, however. YUM!

We have Mardi Gras today! Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. Carnival's Latin translation is "farewell to the flesh."

From the Food Network:

While Brazilians samba in the streets of Rio, and New Orleans throws its most famous party of the year, the English celebrate with Pancake Tuesday. It may seem an unlikely last indulgence, but pancakes use up rich ingredients like butter and eggs from the larder before the pious Lenten fast. Families gather for sweet and savory pancake suppers, and housewives still compete in the peculiar tradition of donning their aprons and racing each other holding pancake-filled skillets. Strict rules require that each contestant successfully toss and flip her pancakes into the air at least three times before crossing the finish line.

loobyoxlip · 02-24-2004, 08:36 AM

I've never heard of Pancake Day, but we celebrate fat Tuesday by buying paczkis. I'm getting raspberry and lemon. YUM

Wendyismyname · 02-24-2004, 08:39 AM

I've heard of it, but we don't do pancakes hardly ever.

Wendy

Chrissi · 02-24-2004, 08:40 AM

We celebrate Faschtnacht Day. It's an old PA Dutch tradition. Click here and scroll down to Faschtnacht Day. Faschtnachts are delicious!

A partial quote from this resource: [ QUOTE ]
Folklore: The first three faschtnachts are fed to the chickens to keep them safe from chicken hawks. The lard used to fry the faschnachts was smeared on the cow's udders to heal them if they were sore.

[/ QUOTE ]

joyjoy · 02-24-2004, 10:13 AM

Interesting traditions. I've never heard of pancake day, but it makes sense.

Chrissi - do ya'll do this, too? (from that PA Dutch website):

Ash Wednesday
The first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, was a day of teasing and fun--unless you were the last one to get out of bed in the morning. That poor unfortunate creature was dubbed the eschepuddel (the ash pile) and was teased all day. If he was the last one to get to school, the eschepuddel would have to take out the ashes from the school's heating stove for the entire year. Or, he or she might be rolled in the ash pile by his schoolmates. At home, all the members of his family would rub ashes in the eschepuddel's face.

Yikes, man.

Chrissi · 02-24-2004, 11:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Interesting traditions. I've never heard of pancake day, but it makes sense.

Chrissi - do ya'll do this, too? (from that PA Dutch website):

Ash Wednesday

The first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, was a day of teasing and fun--unless you were the last one to get out of bed in the morning. That poor unfortunate creature was dubbed the eschepuddel (the ash pile) and was teased all day. If he was the last one to get to school, the eschepuddel would have to take out the ashes from the school's heating stove for the entire year. Or, he or she might be rolled in the ash pile by his schoolmates. At home, all the members of his family would rub ashes in the eschepuddel's face.

Yikes, man.

[/ QUOTE ]

Umm...nooooo.....We, um, eat faschtnachts and wish each other a Happy Faschtnacht Day. I'm barely an eighth PA Dutch/German, so it's a pretty watered-down tradition in my family.

My dad's second ex-wife is all German and she does all the real celebratory tradtional stuff. Though she doesn't feed the first three faschtnachts to her chickens. She feeds them to her dogs.

Also, Ash Wednesday doesn't have much meaning in our household.

denwol · 02-24-2004, 01:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
We celebrate Faschtnacht Day. It's an old PA Dutch tradition. Click here and scroll down to Faschtnacht Day. Faschtnachts are delicious!

A partial quote from this resource: [ QUOTE ]
Folklore: The first three faschtnachts are fed to the chickens to keep them safe from chicken hawks. The lard used to fry the faschnachts was smeared on the cow's udders to heal them if they were sore.

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

We do this here in Central PA too! Mmmm...I LOVE faschnachts!

**chezp** · 02-24-2004, 03:18 PM

I am SO glad I asked this question - I genuinely didn't realise how many different ways they were to celebrate one event! You learn something everyday...

Miss Poppins · 02-24-2004, 07:14 PM

I made pancakes for dinner tonight just because I didn't have anything else in the house and need to go shopping tomorrow. I guess I did "Shrove Tuesday" and didn't even know it!

Teddysmom · 02-24-2004, 09:20 PM

Yes!! I just finished making them. We were stuck at our studio late tonight and had a late dinner. It is my Mom's tradition and it isn't the same if she doesn't have them today. I love hearing about all your traditions.

**rescuesk** · 02-24-2004, 09:45 PM

Another Faschtnacht celebration here.

I never heard of Pancake Day, but I am always willing to start a new tradition next year! I also ate some junk food today 'cause I am giving up junk for Lent!

Sue

GoofyMom · 02-24-2004, 10:00 AM

Some folks in Canada do it, but not us personally. I'm not a big pancake fan. Blech. I remember Shrove Tuesday as being a bigger deal when I was a child.