Not all . . . . . . .

. . . . . . is doom and gloom today.

Last post was a bit dark. Now we all need something cheery 

to end the day. The cold night will creep in and the garden will be 

camouflaged in cast off white shower curtain liners and a

 couple of old sheets in my fight against the deep freeze

harming the hydrangeas.

 I doubt even the deer will stop by tonight to nibble the pansies!

Yesterday on a vegetable run to the grocery - we are doing a no-carbs

week to kickstart our spring wellness effort to lose a few pounds - 

I also bought flowers. It's a mixed bunch to which I've added a few 

of my daffodils and sprigs of blossom.

They are pretty and brighten up the dining room where only a 

smattering of welcomed sunshine made it through the windows today.

Of course today is Shrove Tuesday. I would have loved a plateful of
traditional English pancakes.

These are from two years ago as last year I was really far from my

 kitchen - on an expedition ship rounding Cape Horn heading for

 Patagonia and Chile!

Today I refrained from mixing up the simple batter with all those carbs - it was

 really hard, especially as 'pancake day' brings back lovely childhood memories.

Mother made the best ones. . . . . . . and for some reason we had no idea as to
 what carbohydrates were back then. We just beat the batter, let it rest for a while,
then poured it into the frying pan, flipped, folded or rolled, squeezed,

those sunshiny lemons, sugared dusted, and gobbled them up while piping hot!

Of course back then running off to play in the garden afterward probably kept

 us trim and healthy. Remember those days?

More on the vegetables and what's cooking in my kitchen later.

A Flash In The Pan. . . . . . .

TOMORROW is Shrove Tuesday!

It's also often just called Pancake Day in the UK. 

Last year I sadly forgot Shrove Tuesday - shame on me.

I didn't get around to making delicate English pancakes - similar to French crêpes,

 not thick and heavy like American pancakes - until after the traditional

 celebration which is held on the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent.

Shrove is from the English word shrive which means to obtain

 absolution for one's sins by way of confession and penance. 

Of course you can enjoy eating pancakes any day. I made some last week for

a dessert treat after a bowl of soup when we skipped a heavy entrée.

 Shrove Tuesday pancakes are a tradition which started as a

 way to use up rich ingredients including butter, milk, eggs which were not eaten

 during Lent.

The more you do something the easier it becomes, and making a pancake batter

 is simple. Pancakes are one of life's enjoyments, for children and grown ups,

 and not only on Shrove Tuesday but on rainy days, for breakfast, a luncheon,

 or at teatime and of course a dinner time dessert. The ingredients we just

 about always have on hand - flour, eggs, milk and butter. I suggest using a

 good butter and rich milk. The lazy way is to whiz everything in a blender but you

 then miss the pleasure of gently whisking the batter by hand to pale gold

 smoothness in your favorite bowl. Plenty of recipes can be found online for

 these traditional pancakes - try different versions and will soon find your favorite.

 I use my mother's of course!

Whether you serve them folded or rolled it's your choice.

At their simplest, and probably their best, just sprinkle with little sugar and

 squeeze fresh lemon juice over. Delicious!

Make some English pancakes soon. I'll be cooking for

 special company this Shrove Tuesday and pancakes

are on the menu for dessert!

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.