Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is tomorrow!
The name Shrove Tuesday comes from ‘shrive’, meaning absolution for sins by doing penance. Shrove Tuesday is from Christianity and immediately precedes the first day of Lent, which is 47 days before Easter. Because Lent is a period of fasting, Shrove Tuesday became a feast day in which people would gorge on fats prior to cessation. Many Christians use this time to reflect on themselves, considering what sins they need to repent and what amendments must be made in their life to achieve spiritual growth. Shrove Tuesday is part of the moveable feasts, related to Easter which occurs on the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon.
In the US this day is called Mardi Gras, or ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French. This is because we use up the fatty foods before Lent. Pancake Day itself came much later, as a way of using up rich foods, like eggs, milk and sugar before the 40 days of fasting – Lent. Pancakes are now forever associated with Shrove Tuesday as it is a sort of all-in-one way of using up some fatty foods before Lent. The actual tradition of mixing them up for pancakes is thought to come from a pagan ritual, but others say it is a Christian tradition – with each ingredient representing one of the four pillars of the faith. Eggs for creation, flour sustenance or the staff of life, salt for wholesomeness and milk for purity.
Why not try a delicious pancake with a helping of General English Courses in Brighton?