Say what? There’s a topic that ties together pancakes, the Three Kings, and Shakespeare? There is indeed: Mardis Gras.

Today is Mardis Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday.” The date changes every year because Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of 40 days of Lent (it’s actually 46 days but Sundays are not counted). Lent is a time of reflection and penance to prepare for the celebration of Easter, and because Easter’s date changes every year, so does the date of Mardis Gras.

Mardis Gras has a rich history and is celebrated by many cultures. To explain it further, I have to dial back time. The Mardis Gras season actually begins with the Christmas story. Twelve days after Christmas is the Epiphany – that’s the day when the three kings (the Magi or Wise Men) arrived to give the baby Jesus their famous three gifts.

Many people think the “12 days of Christmas” refers to the 12 days before Christmas. Actually, it’s the 12 days after – leading to the Epiphany. There was traditionally much feasting and revelry around this time , hence the title for William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” – a romantic comedy set in that time period with a plotline involving two couples, mistaken identity, and a happy ending - in short, a tale that would be labeled CHICK LIT today, thank you very much! (Go, Billy! Go, Billy! Go!)

Twelfth Night marks the beginning of the Mardis Gras season, also called Carnival, when parties are held (e.g. the famous masked balls in Venice, Italy). The end of the season is today - Fat Tuesday. Why “fat” Tuesday? Because it’s the last day before Lent begins. So it’s the last day to party and eat before you begin 40 days of modified fasting.

Where I grew up in Pennsylvania, we called Mardis Gras “Shrove Tuesday” and held pancake dinners in volunteer fire halls and church basements (not a lavish ball gown in sight where I grew up!). Pancake Day is an old tradition that emerged from people wanting to use up their lard, or fat, and rich ingredients before Lent began (doughnuts are also a popular food to eat on this day). By the way, that strange word “shrove” is a past tense of the English verb “shrive,” which means to obtain absolution for sins via confessing and penance.

So there you go…pancakes, the Three Kings, and Shakespeare. It adds up to a fascinating holiday, the feast before the fast, richly celebrated by many cultures around the world. Happy Mardis Gras, everyone!

         Cleo’s Easy Buttermilk Pancakes 

1 egg * 2 cups buttermilk * 1 cup flour * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 1/2 teaspoon salt *

Mix the above ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a hot, oiled flat pan or griddle (cooking spray works well, too, but butter will burn so don’t use butter). Do NOT turn the pancake until you see small bubbles on the top of the batter. Then turn over to finish cooking on the other side. Serve with butter and syrup.

 

Luv, Cleo Coyle - author of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, where coffee and crime are always brewing…

       #1 On What Grounds, #2 Through the Grinder, #3 Latte Trouble, #4 Murder Most Frothy, and coming July 2007 #5 Decaffeinated Corpse