Pancake Tuesday!

So there's a little Irish holiday I'd like to share with you. Pancake Tuesday! I know this is a little old but on Tuesday night, February 5th, my roommate Emer ran up to my room and asked if I wanted pancakes. She was so excited. I think it's one of her favorite holidays. Anyway, here's a brief on Pancake Tuesday:

This is the last Tuesday before Lent, which is forty days before Easter Sunday. No meat or milk products, including eggs could be eaten during lent so the celebrations of Shrove Tuesday have always involved an emphasis on food. Surplus eggs, milk and butter were used up to make pancakes, which were often cooked over a fire made with Christmas holly. The tossing of the pancake held huge importance for those still unmarried. Usually the eldest unmarried daughter of the host was the first to toss. If the pancake landed unruffled on the pan her nuptial fortunes for the year were in her favour and she would marry within the year. In 1563 the Decree on Matrimony prohibited marriage during Lent. This led to the fallacious logic that it was good to get married before Lent, therefore, the day before Lent began. So, while the matchmakers work began on Little Christmas the fruits were reaped on Shrove Tuesday, it being the busiest day of the year for weddings.

The picture is of my Irish roommate, Maryclaire. She's trying her hand at flipping the pancake. It's actually more of a crepe because it's so thin. Also, the Irish like to eat it with lemon juice and sugar sprinkled on top.

It was really fun that night. Imagine three hungry, giggly girls hovering around pancakes.