Because it's almost here

[Alex & Rachel 78]

I'd make two batches - you have to have British pancakes for a British festivity!

I like American pancakes but not nearly as much.

[mustang-sally 8]

We always had pancakes on Pancake day when I was younger, not for a few years now though.

We also used to promise to give something up for the 40 days of Lent. I chose chocolate every year, lasted a couple of days at most

[Mags 112]

Isn't it only for the Irish?

Never heard of anyone doing it while I lived in England...

Spuds. And Guinness.

The Irish Sea doesn't separate everything, you know.....

I've been to both countries, thanks for the geography lesson.

And as I said no one I knew (when I LIVED in England) did it. VJ Sheesh.

Hey! Untwist those knickers, Dev! Becca was just having a laff, y'know.

I'm gonna say that the people you knew when you lived in the UK must have been exceptions to the rule cause I don't know anyone who doesn't have pancakes on Jif Lemon Day.

Life without pancakes is like a broken pencil...pointless.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I'd make two batches - you have to have British pancakes for a British festivity!

I like American pancakes but not nearly as much.

*has coughing fit* Ahem it's not a British (only) festivity, and well... I'm not british

[Jeraly 3]

Ahh yes... Jif Lemon day... such a subtley great marketing angle... Never did get it as a kid

I must say I don't know of anyone who doesn't do it but then maybe they don't and I just assume they do because I do... it's not something I really talk about!!

[Mags 112]

Ahh yes... Jif Lemon day... such a subtley great marketing angle... Never did get it as a kid

I must say I don't know of anyone who doesn't do it but then maybe they don't and I just assume they do because I do... it's not something I really talk about!!

It was always a topic of conversation with any one I knew. "Going to be making pancakes tonight?" "Ooooh yes!"....you get the gist. And if you wanted to buy a lemon on that day forget about it. Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, Asda...could a lemon (or Jif) be found in any of those stores after midday? Not on your nellie, mate!

[mustang-sally 8]

I do really love pancakes as I love any batter recipes - Yorkshire puds, fish and chips, etc..

I just never got the real meaning behind pancake day? why are we supposed to give up rich foods for 40 days before Easter?

The supermarkets here really push it, eggs, milk, 'jif' lemons, sugar. Anything to boost sales I assume

We used to have pancake races when I was a kid, running with a frying pan, tossing the pancake. I was never any good at it, always dropped mine.

[*julez* 124]

I do really love pancakes as I love any batter recipes - Yorkshire puds, fish and chips, etc..

I just never got the real meaning behind pancake day? why are we supposed to give up rich foods for 40 days before Easter?

The supermarkets here really push it, eggs, milk, 'jif' lemons, sugar. Anything to boost sales I assume

We used to have pancake races when I was a kid, running with a frying pan, tossing the pancake. I was never any good at it, always dropped mine.

Here is what my research uncovered:

"The reason that pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent is that the 40 days of Lent form a period of liturgical fasting, during which only the plainest foodstuffs may be eaten. Therefore, rich ingredients such as eggs, milk, and sugar are disposed of immediately prior to the commencement of the fast. Pancakes and doughnuts were therefore an efficient way of using up these perishable goods, besides providing a minor celebratory feast prior to the fast itself"

I had heard of Pancake Day / Shrove Tuesday here in the US. In my area we have a lot of Irish and Polish ancestry in our community, so its commonly celebrated. Its interesting to know that it is really very British too! I learn something new everyday here on VJ!

[mustang-sally 8]

Ahaaaa!!!!

Ok, I have looked further and found that -

There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance. The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent are prayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbour). Today, some people give up something they enjoy, add something that will bring them closer to God, and often give the time or money spent doing that to charitable purposes or organizations.

So that is why some people give something up for Lent after Shrove tuesday. Maybe thats why we have chocolate eggs at Easter, to celebrate the ending of Lent. Chocolate eggs being another mystery to me about Easter!!!!!

Anyway enough of philosophical, I heard that they don't do nice big chocolate eggs at Easter in the States so I need to get some to take with me I think

[rebeccajo 14]

Anyway enough of philosophical, I heard that they don't do nice big chocolate eggs at Easter in the States so I need to get some to take with me I think

Oh yeah, we have big chocolate Easter Eggs. Loads of 'em. But they're made (of course) with 'american' choco so you probably won't like 'em!

A lot of churches in our area sell big choco eggs at Easter time for fundraisers. They're usually filled with peanut butter or coconut.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

I'd make two batches - you have to have British pancakes for a British festivity!

I like American pancakes but not nearly as much.

*has coughing fit* Ahem it's not a British (only) festivity, and well... I'm not british

Sorry, here: You have to make non-American pancakes for a British, Irish and Australian festivity!

Lent lasts 40 days to represent the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert fasting being tempted by the devil, if anyone's curious! Obviously it would have been impractical and dangerous for religious followers to fast for that amount of time too, so instead it used to be that only rich foods were not consumed - and from there it developed into giving up a luxury or vice.

I still remember some things from Catholic school...

On the subject of eggs: I don't know anyone who wasn't disappointed as a child when they received a Cadbury's Creme Easter egg only to find out that the egg was not just a giant version of the regular creme egg and was actually hollow inside.

[no name 1]

Isn't it only for the Irish?

Never heard of anyone doing it while I lived in England...

Spuds. And Guinness.

The Irish Sea doesn't separate everything, you know.....

I've been to both countries, thanks for the geography lesson.

And as I said no one I knew (when I LIVED in England) did it. VJ Sheesh.

Hey! Untwist those knickers, Dev! Becca was just having a laff, y'know.

I'm gonna say that the people you knew when you lived in the UK must have been exceptions to the rule cause I don't know anyone who doesn't have pancakes on Jif Lemon Day.

Life without pancakes is like a broken pencil...pointless.

Thanks for the judgment, my UK friends/husband seem to be coping thru life just fine without pancakes.

[Krikit 1,163]

That was a cool video. We've had pancakes and sausages on Pancake Tuesday ever since I can remember, and I carried on that tradition with my children. And now they carry it on too! My husband (the USC) had never heard of it but he's getting it again this year. lol. Thanks for the reminder!

[Mags 112]

Isn't it only for the Irish?

Never heard of anyone doing it while I lived in England...

Spuds. And Guinness.

The Irish Sea doesn't separate everything, you know.....

I've been to both countries, thanks for the geography lesson.

And as I said no one I knew (when I LIVED in England) did it. VJ Sheesh.

Hey! Untwist those knickers, Dev! Becca was just having a laff, y'know.

I'm gonna say that the people you knew when you lived in the UK must have been exceptions to the rule cause I don't know anyone who doesn't have pancakes on Jif Lemon Day.

Life without pancakes is like a broken pencil...pointless.

Thanks for the judgment, my UK friends/husband seem to be coping thru life just fine without pancakes.

It was a joke, not serious. Stop perceiving slights where there are none, Dev.

Now, go have a pancake.

[weedebz 0]

I'm having my interview and being stuck on my own in London on pancake day.

Anyone know anywhere to go get pancakes in central London?