Pancake Tuesday

Today is Pancake Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday). It's the day before lent starts.
People made pancakes on this day as a last feast before lent.
From Ash Wednesday (tomorrow) they were supposed to fast and refrain in eating things that gave them pleasure & enjoyment - such as pancakes! It's kind of like a last hurrah.
Eat all the good foods you can before you're not allowed to eat anymore..
My kind of day!!

My stepdad makes the best pancakes, but Mum and Simon are off jetsetting around Canada at the moment, so I had to make these on my own. Definately not the same... He must have some sort of special touch.

This is the book we've had forever. The one that he uses to make 'crepes suzette - the fancy pancakes'.

I'm pretty sure he doesn't need this book now - he knows the recipe off by heart, you can tell how much it has been used. (Only this page looks like this.. It's our favourite!)
I don't know if they're going to ever reprint this book, but if you see it, DEFINATELY buy it! It has more then just pancake recipes! It even tells you how to make scrambled eggs.

Here's how you can make them if you want to.
Maybe you already have your own favourite recipe!
You Will Need...

1 cup flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Juice of half a smallish orange (the book says mandarin, but I didn't have any)
2 and a half tablespoons of oil

Sift the flour into a large bowl, and crack 2 eggs into the centre.
Mix them up until the eggs are combined with the flour.

Add the milk, a 1/4 of a cup at a time.

Continue to whisk the mixture until there are no lumps. (You can use your hand mixer/stand mixer if you want.)
Add the oil and the orange juice and continue whisking to make sure there is no lumps.

Pour into a jug/cup that is easier to pour the mixture out of. (This is what I call the 'pancake jug' - it's just always used for pancakes...) I have also never noticed that this jug has fluid ounces on it.. I have used so much time trying to figure out measurements! Now I don't have to!

Put some butter into your favourite frying pan.

Pour the pancake mixture into the middle of the pan. You don't want to pour too much, because you want these to be as thin as possible! Move the pan around in a circular motion to spread the mixture out thinner.

When the bottom is browned slightly, flip over and cook the other side. It doesn't take long, a minute or two.

Spread your favourite topping out on the pancake and roll it up.

Are you giving something up for lent this year? I'm thinking I will give up coffee.. I do drink an awful lot of it!