Forget Christmas, forget Easter, today is the big one. Shrove Tuesday, or as it is known colloquially, Pancake Day. Today we, as a nation, celebrate the day on which St. George stole flour, milk, eggs and lemon juice from a Swiss castle…or something. In a recent survey of freelancers, 100% of them said they love pancakes, and working from home means we can enjoy pancakes all day long. So take a break and get your cook on.
How do you make pancakes? Well, it’s very simple. You will need 110g of plain flowers, two eggs (either the regular kind, or the fancy Delia Smith kind – really doesn’t make a difference), and 250ml of milk.
Mix that lot together with a pinch of salt, throw two to three tablespoons in a piping hot pan greased up with butter, and you’ll be enjoying delicious pancakes in no time.
So what do you put on your pancakes? Americans and Canadians will tell you to garnish with a big knob of butter and syrup – however, it’s important to note that this is wrong.
Option 1 – Sugar and Lemon Juice
The classic, for the purists. Totally customisable depending on how sweet or sour you want your pancake. You also have the option of either simply sprinkling onto a folded pancake, or coating and rolling. We usually find a tablespoon of sugar, sprinkled evenly across the face of the pancake, with an equal amount of lemon juice, rolled loosely will give best results.
Option 2 – Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce
If you’re feeling decadent, take a few scoops of ice cream (two is ideal), and secrete them within a folded pancake. Dress this sandwich with warm chocolate sauce – the interplay between the cold ice cream and warm sauce will be divine. Welcome to flavour country – population you.
Option 3 – Banana and Toffee
For those with a sweet tooth, slice a banana in half, and fold into a freshly cooked pancake. Drizzle warm toffee sauce over the entire dish. We really mean the whole thing. Coat that mother. When you can just see the top of the pancake, floating like an iceberg in a sea of sugary goodness, sprinkle icing sugar on top and serve.
Option 4 – Booze and Fire
For the risk-takers among you (I’m looking at you, sysadmins), why not spice things up a bit? Dress your pancakes with some slices of orange (you can even caramelise them first if you’re feeling extra fancy), pour over some warm Grand Marnier and set it on fire. Always a crowd-pleaser, this method will result in a sweet and sticky glaze. You also have the option to drink the remaining Grand Marnier.
Option 5 – The Breakfast Special
We can’t completely ignore our cousins across the ocean, so why not tip your hat to their massively unhealthy lifestyles and enjoy some American-style, thick pancakes. Fry some low-quality bacon until it becomes brittle, and criss-cross the rashers on top of the pancakes (you should have a stack – at least five). Place a knob of butter on top, and drench the entire construction on maple syrup. Attempt to eat.
