Wednesday 9 March 2011

Shrove Tuesday



Yesterday, Tuesday March 8th, was Shrove Tuesday in England. It is more commonly known as pancake day!

Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) is the last day before the period which Christians call Lent. It is traditional on this day to eat pancakes. It is the day before Ash Wednesday.

Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday is the chance to use up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent. Pancakes are eaten on this day because they contain fat, butter and eggs which used to be forbidden during Lent.

A pancake is a thin, flat cake, made of batter and fried in a pan. They can be thin like a crepe or thicker ones called Scotch pancakes.
Sugar is sprinkled over the top and a dash of fresh lemon juice added. The pancake is then rolled. Some people add golden syrup, chocolate spread or jam.

Do you do anything special like this? Do you like pancakes? Can you tell me what Lent is?
In England it is usual for people to give something up for Lent, for example this year my friend has given up chocolate. This means she won't eat chocolate until Easter Sunday. Do you give anything up for Lent?

21 comments:

Carmen Torres said...

I have never tried pancakes, but they look really delicious! I'll have to try them soon. I've eaten crêpes, that are similiar to pancakes, but they're often sweet.
In Lent, my mother, my grandmother and my aunts give up meat on Fridays. Giving up meat in Lent Fridays is very common in Spain.
I don't give up anything I like because I love eating lots of things, and Lent is too long! :P

Aixa said...

I also like pancakes, specially Scotch pancakes. I eat them when I go to Croatia because my grandmother cooks them, or when my mum is very happy or just wants to cook. I like pancakes with chocolate syrup or marmalade and a glass of milk, buon appetito!
I don't know what is Lent, and don't give anything up in this period.

belen rodriguez said...

I love pancakes. My fiends and I usually cook pancakes for breakfast or for teatime,but sometimes we get them heated so much jaja ;)
I eat them with liquid chocolate or syrup.
(I prefer chocolate)
I don't give anything up for Lent,because I love eating.
My mother usually gives up meat in Lent.

Belén;)

Maria Arregui said...

No.I don't do anything in this day.
Yes.I like it but I never eat it.
The Lent is 40 days before the "Semana Santa"(Holy week)
No.I don't.But many people don't eat meet on Friday next of Wendnesday.

José Ramón said...

I love pancakes, but I don't eat them very much. I don't know how to cook them and my mother doesn't like them very much.
I'd like to eat them more times than I do (twice or three times a year).
I didn't know anything about the Shrove Tuesday, but I know the Lent Period. I usually don't eat forbidden food during this period.

Antoñita said...

No,I don't do anything special on Shrove Tuesday.
I love pancakes, on my birthday my mother always cooks them for me.
Lent is 40 days before the holy week.
No, I don't give anything up for Lent.

Unknown said...

I like pancakes with honey. I eat pancakes every Sunday because my grandmother buys them. I eat pancakes with my sister in my grandmother's house.

Unknown said...

I like pancakes with honey. I eat pancakes every Sunday because my grandmother buys them. I eat pancakes with my sister in my grandmother's house.

Maria said...

*I make "torrijas" in Lent.
*I've never tried pancakes, but I thing I don't like it.
*Lent are 40 days of preparation for Easter. It is very important for Christians.
*Every Friday of Lent, people can't eat meat.

By: Maria Suarez Lopez :)

Rocio :) said...

I like pancakes so much, I always eat pancakes with chocolate.
Lent is the period of 40 days before the holly week. In Spain people can't eat meat on the Lent fridays.

Esteban said...

Sadly, my family doesn't do this sort of things, but I could suggest them to do this and to cook pancakes. Now that I've read the post, I would like to eat them just now.

I know what the Lent period is.
When this period starts, you cannot do some things, they're forbidden. But you can do them before Lent starts, when we're in a period called "Carnival". In this period, everybody enjoys the last days before Lent, by wearing unusual clothes, dancing, eating and drinking. It's usually held in the roads of a city.

I love this period! ;)

Eva Suárez said...

In Lent, my mother makes "torrijas".
I like it so much. Every year, I eat "torrijas".
I've never tried pancakes.
Lent is a period very important for Christians. During Lent, they can't eat meat on Fridays.
Eva suárez López :D

José Ramón said...

I like this food but I´ve never eaten it. I´ve seen this photos and it makes my mouth water. I´ve never cooked it but it should be funny. I don´t know what is the Lent period and the Shrove Tuesday.

Carmela said...

I have eateen pancakes only once or twice. I like them. I ate with chocolate spread. Lent is the period of 4o days before the holly week. I don't give up anything.

fátima said...

We like so much pancakes but only with chocolate. We sometimes eat pancakes when ever we want to eat them, but not in the period of Lent.
Lent is a period of forty days before the Holly Week. On Friday during the Lent,in Spain, we don't eat meat.
By:Ara Gallego and Fátima

Maria del Mar Cortes said...

I like pancakes. I tried them for the first time at Angela's house(my friend), when she made for to have a snack. We had them with chocolate. They were very good:D
Lent is a time of abstinence, when we can't eat some food:)
I don't now if I'll give up something for Lent!

Mª Del Mar;)

angel said...

I like this food but I´ve never eaten it. I´ve seen this photos and it makes my mouth water. I´ve never cooked it but it should be funny. I don´t know what is the Lent period and neither the Shrove Tuesday.

Victoria García said...

Here in Spain we don't do special things but we don't usually eat meat for Lent. I love pancakes but my mother doesn't usually make them. We eat them with honey and chocolate.

Lent is a period of abstinence related to the food for example. I think that in Spain we don't give anything for Lent, we haven't got this tradition nowadays.

I like this tradition and I have watched it on TV. The Prince William and Kate were throwing some pancakes to the air.

josema said...

I love pancakes and also, I like crêpes very much. I usually cook them whem my mother remembers to buy the ingredients, that is once a month. ^^ I eat pancakes and crêpes with different ingredients, both savoury and sweet.

Lent in the Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday (the next day to Shrove Tuesday) to Easter (the last day (the last Sunday of the Holy Week). It lasts 40 days.

In Spain, it's typical to give up meat on Fridays, but nowadays it's done only by the most religious people. I don't give up anything in the Lent period because it's a bit long and it's very hard for me. :)

I love pancakes & crêpes, and I've learnt a lot about Shrove Tueasday and Lent!

Josema^^

Claudia Ruiz said...

In Spain, ''Lent'' is Cuaresma. In Lent, we make ''torrijas'' and ''pestiños''.
It's a special sweet that I like very much.
Lent, is a Christian period that starts 40 days before the holy week. The Fridays of Lent, we can't eat meat. The color of the Lent is purple. In Lent, in Olivares, some people perform the Passion of Christ.
I love pancakes! A lot of days, my sister and me, make pancakes for a snack in the afternoon. We eat them with chocolate or marmalade. They are so good!

Miguel said...

I think that pancakes, are delicious although I have never prepare it or tried them. Also, the period of lent, is
before the holy week, and its last
fourty days.