TUESDAY. Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday. The day of feasting before fasting during Lent. So get ready.
The Presbyterian Church I served in Monroe, Wisconsin always celebrated “Shrove Tuesday” with a pancake supper. It was open to the whole community. On this day (so the historians say) there were feasts of pancakes to use up the supplies of fat, butter and eggs – foods that were forbidden during austere Lent.
In England there are several celebrations on this day but perhaps the best known one is the Pancake Day Race at Olney in Buckinghamshire which has been held since 1445. The race came about when a woman cooking pancakes heard the shriving bell summoning her to confession. She ran to church wearing her apron and still holding her frying pan, and thus without knowing it, started a tradition that has lasted for over five hundred years.
My seminary advisor, Dean Pedersen (no relation), invited us over to his home for a dinner of “abelskiver.” Little round pancakes. My mother had an abelskiver pan which I inherited and to this day we make them for supper on Tuesday night before Ash Wednesday. Mmm GOOD!
If you don’t have an abelskiver pan you can try this recipe…
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2 c. buttermilk
2 c. flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. salt 3 eggs 2 tbsp. sugar Beat egg yolks; add sugar, salt and milk. Add the remaining ingredients that have been sifted together. Last, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.Place small amount of liquid shortening in each cup of muffin pan. Fill 2/3 full. Cook in 350 degree oven until bubbly; turn carefully and finish baking other side. Optional, may put a dab of applesauce in the middle of each.
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Steve, we just had aebelskivers this afternoon, for a late Fat Tuesday lunch. The dogs did too! But here’s the question….if there are leftovers, can one in good conscience still eat them during Lent?
with infinite hope, Jim
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Jim,
No you can’t follow your “fallen” conscience and eat leftover pancakes during Lent! You should know better – an abelskiver eater is always an analyitical cheater!
Steve