Shrove Tuesday - Pancake Day!

The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is known as Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday), or "Pancake Tuesday."  Traditionally all fats, eggs, and butter had to be given up for Lent and making pancakes or waffles was a good way to use them up.    Here is the recipe for our favorite Buttermilk Pancakes.

Buttermilk Pancakes

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk
½ cup milk
3 eggs
⅓ cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides.  Serve hot with butter and maple syrup!


To tie in the Mardi Gras Colors of Green, Yellow, and Purple (while at the same time trying to avoid sugar/food coloring since my children are fighting a cold),  I also served a big fruit platter using green grapes, kiwi, pineapple, bananas and purple grapes.   It was a hit!