Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Life is different for us English


Not for us English the carefully chosen dotti concealing a guilty face engaging in vice on the Rialto.
Not for us English the casting off of dignity in a frenzy of Teutonic festival of folly.
Not for us English the secular exultation of the more vicious vices of Rio.

No,



for us it is



pancakes!

The name demonstrates something of the difference Carnivale – Farewell to Meat, Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday, has very different implications to “Shrove Tuesday”.

I am sure the pre-Reformation Pancake was more like a Spanish omelette, full of good things, like fat, eggs and meat that wouldn’t be eaten at all in Lent, rather than a thin French crepe with a slice of lemon. Its present anorexia is indicative of the effect of Protestantism on a Catholic custom.
But Shrove Tuesday indicates that “shriving” confessing and receiving penance was more important for us English than the partying.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah pancakes. I don't like them particularly, but can just about manage them once a year with cointreau & chocolate sauce and whipped cream :)

Hilary Jane Margaret White said...

Oooo you beat me to it!

I was totally going to post about the English pancake races today. Was just discussing it very earnestly with Msgr. Barreiro.

Am proud to report that last year in the village in Cheshire, my little cousin Jack was the winner in his age category in the village pancake race.

ukok said...

I just made pancakes for myself and the children, they were yummy. My daughter smeared hers with chocolate spread, my son had lemon juice and sugar and i tried mine with sugar, lemon and even a few pieces of banana.

Anonymous said...

Father:

Off-topic, but can one still be shriven in Lent?

gemoftheocean said...

Ah- but who was it who said you have to party in the good times and celebrate to appreciate the fasting?

Why,I believe that was the good Father Blake, in Brighton. [Well, you said the reverse but the reverse would apply by definition!]

Anonymous said...

Maybe somebody can fil in my gaps, but shouldn't the meaty odds and ends be eaten on the Monday (possibly called Collup Monday) in a "Collup Stew", Then the diary goes inot and onto the pancakes after going to the box on Shrove Tuesday. Not sure about the spelling of Collup!!

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