Song of the Day - 4th March
Today is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) in different parts of the world. The general impression I get from social media is that non-UK folk are bemused by our calling it Pancake Day, especially in countries where they frequently eat pancakes on any day they choose. Shrove Tuesday is the final day before Lenten begins on Ash Wednesday. During the season of Lent, Christians have historically abstained from rich foods such as meat, eggs, dairy products, and alcohol. Shrove Tuesday provides Christians with the opportunity to use up these foods prior to the start of the 40-day fasting season of Lent. The tradition of making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, as well as that of pancake races, owes itself to this practice of "using up the surplus eggs, milk and butter" prior to Lent. As such, it is traditional in many societies to eat pancakes or other foods made with the butter, eggs and fat or lard that would need to be used up before the beginning ...