Flash in the pan

Feb 12 2010 By Katharine Capocci, The Journal

TIME to dust off the frying pans for Pancake Day this coming Tuesday. KATHARINE CAPOCCI shows how to create flipping fantastic treats.

SWEET and savoury pancakes are one of life’s little treats, and we have every excuse at this time of year to indulge.

With Shrove Tuesday – better known as Pancake Day – this coming Tuesday on the 16th, now is the time to dust off the frying pans and dig out the family’s favourite recipes.

Not only are pancakes cheap and easy-peasy to make, but the actual ritual of cooking, flipping and then tucking in makes for a family-friendly cookery session.

Whether your preference is for sweet or savoury, pancakes can be as healthy or as naughtily decadent as you choose.

So whether you like them drizzled with lemon juice and sprinkled with sugar, soaked in maple syrup, or perhaps served up savoury with Northumbrian kippers, the world’s your lobster when it comes to toppings and fillings.

Shrove Tuesday is the traditional Christian feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was historically a time of abstinence and on Shrove Tuesday Christians went to confession and were absolved of their sins – or “shriven”.

It was also the last opportunity to use up all of the rich foods they had in the pantry – eggs, fat and milk – before embarking on the Lenten fast – and pancakes were the perfect way to use up these ingredients.

In the UK, pancake races also form an important part of the Shrove Tuesday celebrations.

And award-winning French restaurant Bouchon Bistrot in Hexham is backing a flipping good festival being held in the town tomorrow.

Bouchon, famed for its winning performance on Gordon Ramsay’s F Word TV show, is backing the town’s first Shrovetide Festival.

Bouchon was voted the Best Local French Restaurant in the UK by The F Word last November, which has helped put the town on the map.

The restaurant went head-to-head with Surbiton-based The French Table, and chefs cooked for 50 guests. Head chef Nicolas Duhil and second chef Craig Wanless battled it out to take the title and bring the prestigious award back to Hexham.

Hexham is to hold a special pancake themed farmers’ market, with traditional pancake race, Mardi Gras carnival competition and live music from Mardi Gras band Tenth Avenue tomorrow.

While in the UK Shrove Tuesday is given the name Pancake Day, in France it is known as Mardi Gras which translates as Fat Tuesday.

The market will be selling pancakes, and also eggs and butter for people to make their own on Shrove Tuesday. Local eggs will be available to purchase from Shield Green.

Bouchon Bistrot has joined in with the Shrovetide fun and put together a recipe for crepes for readers.

Greg Bureau, owner of Bouchon Bistrot in Hexham, said: “It is fantastic that Hexham’s monthly farmers’ market is offering activities to get all the family in the mood for Mardi Gras whilst picking up local ingredients in time for the big day.”