I meant to post this on Tuesday, when it really would have made sense, but life is very busy right now and I just did not get to it.
I have often heard the term “Shrove Tuesday” but did not know that it was also called “Pancake Day” in many parts of the world. Since I was brought up in the Southern Baptist church, we did not actually have any Ash Wednesday services (outside of the regular Wednesday night services) so had never really made the connection between Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.
Amy and Rex attend the local Methodist church and they have special Ash Wednesday services… Aha… the connection was made when the television news announcer Tuesday morning mentioned that Shrove Tuesday was the day before the season of Lent (which begins Ash Wednesday). I was starting to see the connection but still did not realize that it was the same as Pancake Day. I had to look that up…
My search for Pancake Day 2012 bought up a few links and some interesting information. I started with just one from a Web site called British Life & Culture. According them, butter, fat, and eggs were forbidden during Lent (do not know “when” this was the case) and that’s why pancakes were eaten… they contain all of the forbidden ingredients and it was the last day to indulge yourself. Interesting…
Another item of interest (not from British Life & Culture site) is how Shrove Tuesday is referred to as International Pancake Day. It even has its own Web site (as of today, the site is not working correctly). Olney, England and Liberal, Kansas participates in a Pancake Day race every year. Last year, Liberal won and this year, Olney won (I could not find the statistics to find out who has won the most). According to legend, the Olney race started in 1445 when a harried housewife arrived at church on Shrove Tuesday still clutching her frying pan, with a pancake still in it. Women in Liberal first challenged Olney in 1950 and they have competed annually since then. Liberal is very proud of its involvement in this annual even and they have set up an International Pancake Day Hall of Fame.
I did not eat pancakes on Tuesday. Did you???
4 comments:
I grew up with Pancake Tuesday, with no religious connection. For me it was a night to eat pancakes for dinner! This year we did not have pancakes on Tuesday, but had them for brunch on Monday's Family Day!
LOL as a New Orleanian born and bred I have to say on 'Shrove Tuesday' we eat anything and everything! Pancakes may or may not be on a list of things we would be eating while tossing or catching Mardi Gras beads, trinkets and doubloons!
Hugs~
Dearest Teresa,
I have heard of this "Shrove Tuesday" and "Lent" from friends' posts for the first time. Thank you for the new information♬♬♬
It is always wonderful to know these different culture.
Well, I hope you are doing fine and all settled, my friend!!! Take Good Care of Yourself♡♡♡
I have heard the term "Shrove Tuesday" but I never knew what it meant--or ate pancakes.
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