Pancake day around the world

In yesterday’s antipasto post I briefly discussed Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday), which happens tomorrow. Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day around the world, and every country celebrates with their own version. The Guardian’s Yvonne Lam takes a look at seven different styles of pancake that span the globe.

These range from fluffy American-style pancakes to paper-thin crepes, and expand to torrijas, malasadas, and kabalagalas. Torrijas, found in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries, more closely resemble French toast than what most people think of pancakes but they are often served cold. Malasadas, which are common in Hawaii, Guyana, and Portugal, are very similar to doughnuts (which are not far afield from another New Orleans Mardi Gras staple, beignets).

Pancakes have become associated with Shrove Tuesday for a couple of reasons: one is that they use up luxurious ingredients like butter, cream, and eggs in advance of Lenten fasting. If you peer farther back into history, you will discover that like many other Christian holidays, this one has roots in pagan culture, which celebrated the arrival of spring with round pancakes that symbolized the sun.

A few books devoted to pancakes that are Member favorites include:

• Ebelskivers: Danish-Style Filled Pancakes and Other Sweet and Savory Treats by Kevin Crafts
• Pancakes: From Morning to Midnight by Dorie Greenspan
• Posh Pancakes (Posh series): Over 70 Recipes, from Hoppers to Hotcakes by Sue Quinn
• Flipping Good!: Pancakes from Across the World by Sudi Pigott (Jenny favorite)