Mardi Gras. Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday in English.  The day of eating all you can, want, desire before restricting yourself for 40 days,  until the beloved wonder that it is Easter. But why do we do it?

Pancake day occurs the day before Ash Wednesday; the start of Lent. This traditional feast day originated as early as 1000AD, where in the ‘Ecclesiastical Institutes’ it states that ‘In the week immediately before Lent everyone shall go to his confessor and confess his deeds and the confessor shall so strive him as he then may hear by his deeds what he is to do.’

         However, the association between actual pancakes and Shrove Tuesday arose from the fact that it is a good  way of using foods which are discouraged from being eaten during the season of Lent, such as butter, eggs and fats, (the good stuff, basically). Pancakes are also symbolic of the ‘four pillars of christian faith: eggs for creation, flour as the mainstay of the human diet, salt for wholesomeness and milk for purity.’

         This particular custom of Christians eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday dates to the 16th century, after the reformation. Combined with its strong emphasis on feasting, another ingredient of Shrove Tuesday involves christians repenting of their sins in preparation to begin the season of Lent in the Christian calendar. In many Christian  parish churches, both Protestant and roman catholic, a popular tradition is to ring church bells ‘to call the faithful to confession before the solemn season of Lent’ and for housewives to ‘begin frying their pancakes’.

When indulging on some gorgeous pancakes during our school lunch today, one of my friends commented on how  ‘It is the last opportunity to appreciate things that you might be giving up for Lent’, which I think gives an emphasis on the specialness of Shrove Tuesday and how it should be celebrated worldwide.

Now, as I sit here eating my Nutella filled, mouth-wateringly tasty pancakes (courtesy of my lovely mother), writing this foodie themed article,  I feel lucky and privileged to partake in this  delectable celebration before abstaining from chocolate for the following 40 days. I know that it will be a hard feat, but certainly beneficial and rewarding for myself when Easter finally arrives! To all those out there who are giving something cherished up for Lent; good luck!

By Francesca Foster, The Lady Eleanor Holles School