The reliable Modern Practical Cookery has a section at the back called Little Dinners where a suggested menu is given for each month. Since Shrove Tuesday is literally a movable feast, It precedes Ash Wednesday and could come in either February, on any date between 3rd February and 9th March inclusive. Shrove comes from the verb shrive which means to absolve and is the last day before the period of Lent, when traditionally people would fast by giving up such foods as eggs, butter, and milk. These days Lenten fasts might be something like chocolate, or cake or alcohol.
A nod to Shrove Tuesday – pancake day, is on the list for March, but instead of the fried pancakes most of us would expect, it’s baked pancakes – which I guess for a dinner party is easier to manage!
Baked pancakes
- 6 oz flour
- 4 eggs, well whisked
- zest of 1 small lemon and 1 small orange
- ¾ pint milk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 oz castor sugar
- 3 oz butter
- beat the butter, sugar and zest, until the mixture is pale and light
- sift in flour and baking powder, mix well
- add the eggs
- finally beat in the milk
- well butter old strong saucers, or small baking pans
- pour a little batter in each and bake in a hot oven for about 20 mins
- serve hot from the oven sprinkled with sugar
These sound as if they would be a little like the scotch pancakes I made the other day, and maybe easier as they can be cooked in bigger batches. I might try making some!
My featured image is mauve tulips again, the suggested table decoration for this month
Lois Elsden 