Shrove Tuesday in the UK (and other places) is called Pancake Day. It's the day you use up all your milk, butter, and eggs before Lent begins, and what better way to do that than to make pancakes? And by pancake, they don't mean big ol' fluffy flapjack. It's more crepe-like, and served with lemon juice and sugar, or jam, or sometimes syrup or chocolate spread. As far as I can tell, pancakes are not a regular breakfast item or menu item here.
"Other old customs include the annual pancake grease at London's Westminster school (schoolboys fighting for pancakes in return for a monetary reward); Mischief Night (breaking into people's houses in disguise and demanding pancakes); Lent Crocking or Lensharding (throwing old crockery at people's doors and asking for pancakes to be tossed back), and shroving - a visiting custom in which children sang or recited poetry in exchange for food or money." (from http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/events_pancakes.shtml)
Another article:
Flipping silly
Pancakes are so tasty and versatile that it's a bit odd we tend only to eat them on Shrove Tuesday. Add drop scones and blinis to the equation, and it's plain daft.
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/food/story/0,,2013957,00.html
Recipes at UKTV Food: http://uktv.co.uk/index.cfm/uktv/Food.homepage/sid/521
And let's not overlook pancake races: http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pancake_day_london_races_index.html
So happy Pancake Day to all!
