Posted by MM on February 04, 2001 at 19:24:55:
In Reply to: Re: PANCAKES posted by Butch on February 04, 2001 at 18:46:29:
These would be different from American pancakes Butch,more like crepes.The reason it came about was I believe due to the strick fasting laws during Lent years ago and the eggs had to be used up before Lent started on Ash Wednesday,Shrove Tuesday being the day before.My mother would serve them with caster(powdered)sugar spinkled on or with sliced bananas.Hhhmmmmmmm.
Here is some info I found in one of my many Irish cookbooks by Malachi McCormick.
"Shrove Tuesday Pancakes
Shrove Tuesday was always an exciting day:first there was skellicking,and then there was pancakes.Skellicking was the remnants of an old wife-selection ritual that was widely practiced.The name derived from the Skellig Islands off the coast of Kerry,the site of a famous early monastery.In early times ,the main season for marrying was from Christmas to Lent,so that come Shrovetide,a great deal of pressure and persuasion was brought to bear on the marriageable but unmarried to take the plunge.
On Shrove Tuesday if you were a boy,you went to school with your skellicking rope,having found a skellicking partner the day before--- a lad like youself--to hold the other end of the rope.You chased after every girl that you saw,but not if they were bigger than (or older than you:)).If you caught up with her,you tried to encircle her with the rope and pretend to take her off to the Skelligs.When it was all over,we went home for the tea and the Pancakes"
I'm not making this up,but as Malachi grew up around Cobh,Cork,maybe it was a Cork and Kerry custom.Lord knows they have some good ones.
The Receipe.
I'll give American ingredients Butch.
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt.
2 1/2 cups milk.
2 eggs.
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter.
Caster or confectioner's sugar and fresh lemon juice to finish.
Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl.Put the milk into another bowl,break the eggs into it,and beat with a whisk.Gradually add some of the milk-egg liquid to the flour,working it in with a wooden spoon,to make a thickish but smooth batter.You will use about half the liquid for this.Now add the melted butter and using the whisk,work it very well into the batter.Add the rest of the milk-egg liquid gradually,working it in well with the whisk.
The batter should now be allowed to stand for at least 2 hours,4 hours would be even better( find something else for the nina's to do)Cook like you would regular American pancakes on a griddle.Cook til both sides are golden brown.Sprinkle with caster sugar and lemon juice or serve like my mother did with banana's or other fresh fruit.
Enjoy!