Shrove Tuesday

Perhaps the most famous celebration of Shrove Tuesday, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, takes place in New Orleans.  In Rio de Janeiro it is "Carnival", in many other places it is simple a winter carnival, all taking place just before the commencement of Lent on Ash Wednesday.  But for all, it is a time of celebration,a time to party, and have a last fling before the austerity of Lent.  It is time to use up all the rich and even decadent foods which will definitely not be on the family menu during the Lenten season.  The expression "Shrove Tuesday" comes from the word shrive, meaning "absolve".

 According to an entry in Wikipedia, Shrove Tuesday is observed by many Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and Roman Catholics, who "make a special point of self-examination, of considering what wrongs they need to repent, and what amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth they especially need to ask God's help in dealing with."

This year, St.Catherine’s will once more host a pancake supper on Tuesday February 13.  All are welcome but sign up is requested to make sure we have enough food on hand.  What are some of the pancake traditions followed in your family?  

Well, in mine we don’t eat big fluffy pancakes, we eat crepes, sprinkled with lemon juice and sugar and rolled up.  Definitely quite yummy.  So Shrove Tuesday will definitely be “Fat Tuesday” in our household!