Mardi-Gras and Carnaval in France

Mardi-gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” also known as Shrove Tuesday in England. It refers to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which starts on Ash Wednesday.

Rich and fatty foods include gauffres (waffles) and crêpes (pancakes). Brittany being famous for pancakes, you must eat pancakes for Mardi-gras! Both eaten with some nice home-made jam of course! See my future posts about how to make jam.

Where I come from – Lyon – we make Bugnes. See this link for recipes here.

Well-known practices associated with Mardi-gras are wearing masks and costumes, dancing, parades, etc.

In France most villages organise a Carnaval for children. Often a music band takes part in the celebrations making it more joyful. Everyone then join the parade which always ends up in the village hall (salle des fêtes) where the entertainment keeps children amused for a couple of hours!

La Chandeleur – Pancake day in France!

Pancakeday in France was Tuesday 2nd February this year. You know when it is coming as all the supermarkets in France start selling pancake pans and all the ingredients to make the pancakes (crêpes) about 2 weeks prior to La Chandeleur ! On Pancake Day some shops make “crêpes” for their customers! Even our local DIY shop in Evran! I must say if you don’t eat crêpes in Brittany, where else would you eat some?! Brittany is famous for their “crêpes” and “galettes” (savory pancakes made with buckwheat flour).

I make my pancake mix without measuring using fresh milk (very creamy!) from the farm down the road and the free range eggs from our little chickens. As it is cold at the moment our chickens don’t produce many eggs but luckily my friend Debbie share her surplus of eggs with me! Her chickens are a lot more productive than ours. She hasn’t told me yet her secret for her productivity!

Here is a recipe for the pancake mix:

• 250 g de farine (flour)
• 3 oeufs (eggs)
• 1/2 paquet de levure (half packet of backing powder)
• 1 pincée de sel (pinch of salt)
• 1/2 litre de lait (1/2 litre of milk)
• 3 cuillères à soupe d'eau (3 spoons of water)

I like pancakes with home-made jam (loganberry jam is my favorite) or chocolate spread (I guess you know which one I mean!). Looking at a British calendar Shrove Tuesday is next week and as my partner Chris is British I will have to make some more next week! Any excuse to eat pancakes….