Bringing Back the Food!

When I first conceived the idea for this blog, it was my express intention to write about all the passions in my life, namely art, music, literature and food - the blog’s title is something of a giveaway in this regard! However, as regular readers will attest (I’m sure there are a couple of you out there …), the focus of the blog has become skewed towards arty musings and book reviews, leaving the subject of food to languish desultorily in the doldrums. Aside from a few measly restaurant reviews and the obligatory article waxing lyrical on the ubiquitous Jamie O, the food factor has been largely ignored.

Why is this? Why have I all but abandoned the topic of food in this blog? Perhaps it is reflective of the fact that I have a lot less time to devote to the kitchen since I began this writing lark. Or maybe, subconsciously, I believed that foodie topics seemed slightly incongruous when pitted against the more lofty reflections on art, music and literature. Whatever the reason, this writer has garnered her resolve and is now making a concerted effort to Bring Back The Food … and what better day to do this than Pancake Tuesday?

First, a bit of history …

Pancake Tuesday is traditionally celebrated by Christians, who refer to the day as Shrove Tuesday. It marks the last day before the commencement of Lent, a period of forty days prior to Easter Sunday, during which Christians engage in some form of fasting. This abstemiousness customarily took the form of denying oneself rich foods, such as butter, sugar and fat. The tradition of making pancakes was borne out of the desire to use up all the offending ingredients before Lent began. And the rest, as they say, is history.

However, for the more secular-minded or non-Christian among my legion of followers (all 19 of you!), Pancake Tuesday is simply a great excuse to luxuriate in a little guilt-free foodie indulgence (after all, it’s only one day a year – what harm could it possibly do?)

After a seemingly unending search, I have finally settled on what I believe to be the perfect recipe for pancake batter. It is, of course, a recipe by the doyenne of British cooking, the unparalleled Ms Delia Smith.

The recipe can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/yehootd

Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a generous sprinkling of vanilla-infused sugar - or for the more intrepid among you, a generous slathering of Nutella!

So, what are you waiting for? Get flipping, y’all!

And finally, one last Pancake Day factoid ...

Did you know that the term ‘Mardi Gras’ (meaning a period of celebration) comes from the French for Shrove Tuesday (translated literally as 'Fat Tuesday')?

You do now.