Monday, February 23, 2015

Pancakes or crêpes?


I completely forgot about beating up a bowl of batter last week on Tuesday!
Yes, with that iron blanket of ice covering the city, I have to admit there were other 
things on my mind such as losing power (thankfully we didn't), and staying warm.

So, Shrove Tuesday or, as we always called it in England, Pancake Day, was 
forgotten, along with associated pancake races, the oldest on record still held by 
Olney, Buckinghamshire where housewives have been flipping those pancakes 
on the run since 1445!

Later in the week, still feeling guilty, I decided to heck with it, we'll celebrate 
late, and I set to beating my batter, squeezing my lemons, happily.

Yum, they were good and so easy to make. These are crêpe style pancakes, 
thin, light, flavorful, and require nothing more than the traditional sprinkle of fine 
castor sugar and fresh lemon juice to serve.

English childhood revisited, I was in heaven. Now wondering why I don't 
make these more often.


17 comments:

  1. If your English they are Pancakes, we don't go in for calling them by the stupid French name just because it sound posh

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    Replies
    1. Bill, here in the US 'pancakes' are different - much thicker, softer and usually served of breakfast in a stack with traditional butter and maple syrup. To Americans, especially those familiar with French food, our English-style pancake is known as a crêpe. In this post I shared both names for my readers - nothing to do with being posh! Personally I think the French word crêpe is quite a lovely one, and the entire French language quite beautiful.

      Thanks for stopping by - hope your week goes well.
      Mary -

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  2. Oh yum, would love a plate of those right this minute. I'm on day 2 of our move and would gladly drop a box to indulge. Have a great day, Mary. Have I mentioned I LOVE you blog. :))) Deb

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  3. Oh I have to try the sugar and lemon ! I usually use butter and cinnamon sugar. My children soak everything in syrup .. blech !

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  4. They sounds great Mary! I didn't know about Pancake Tuesday! No ice here today, but it is windy and colder.
    xo
    Penny

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  5. It's just too funny that you mentioning these pancakes sparked me to ask Richard to make them -- and here we are both posting about them! Guess that just shows how completely delicious they are. Worthy of blog posts, even if they are a little "late"!! xx Cassie

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  6. That looks sooooooo yummy, Mary!! I actually prefer crepes than thick pancakes, which to me are so heavy. Save me a few :)

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  7. PS - Mary, you mentioned sending me an email. I didn't get it, fyi.

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    Replies
    1. Yes Loi, I did on Jan. 30. Have just sent you another with the original attached! Hope you get it - perhaps you can check your spam if it's not in your in-box. I sent it to the e-mail address on your blog profile page - if that's still correct!
      Mary -

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  8. I saw a couple of other British bloggers doing posts on these pancakes, too. They look delicious! More like what us Americans call crepes, I suppose. Although we put some kind of filling (savory or sweet) in them.

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  9. I missed stirring up a batch of pancakes for Shrove Tuesday as well. These would have been perfect. I hope you are staying warm. We are once again snowed in today. Enjoy the week!

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  10. OH my goodness...these look just luscious. I LOVE pancakes and crepes...and these....*heavy sigh
    I also am totally and forever in LOVE with that BATTER bowl...wonder where I could get one??
    hugs, bj

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  11. Your crepes look delicious! I can just imagine the sweet and tangy taste of the lemon and sugar!

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  12. A special tradition I had not heard of. These look so delicious! Glad you kept the tradition, even if done late. I have been reading The Tudors...SO interesting! The who's-who has always been difficult for me to keep track of, but this is a wonderful in-depth history and I am thoroughly enjoying it.

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  13. Mary, Do you have a recipe for these crepes that you would share----they look so wonderful----
    Thank you-----BB

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  14. Jim often makes pancakes, but I don't eat them. I really love crepes, but wonder why I don't make them more often. Once strawberry season starts I will make them more often as I love them with fresh berries. My crepe recipe came to me from a 13 year old exchange boy we had years ago from France. It is the only recipe I use.

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