Pancake day

[Joy1]

Just wondered if anyone knows, is there a French equivalent of pancake day when everyone eats pancakes, and if so when is it?

One of our kids says they have heard something at school about having

pancakes tomorrow (2nd Feb) bu we haven't been able to verify this.

Thanks,

Joyanne

[Polycarpe]

There is a pancake afternoon here, also tomorrow. I can't say why now as its four weeks early if its associated with Lent, Shrove Tuesday being 28th Feb this year.

I will see what I can find out about the significance of the timeing.

[Clair]

This is called  LA CHANDELEUR and takes place 40 days after Christmas.

More info (in French) here: http://www.momes.net/dictionnaire/c/chandeleur.html

and here: http://www.chandeleur.net/index.php

Edit: having looked into this a bit more deeply, La Chandeleur is linked to chandelle  (candle) and seems to be the equivalent of Candlemas, which commemorates the purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of her son Jesus.

More info (in English this time!) here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/

[Joy1]

Thanks for that Polycarpe, ties in with what our daughter heard at

school. Off to Auchan now to get some crepe mix! Would be interested to

know why 2 Feb and not 28 Feb.

[Joy1]

Thanks Clair! Our posts must have crossed in the ether! Can't believe

Christmas was 40 days ago! Do French people also have pancakes on Mardi

- gras?

[Clair]

[quote user="Joyanne"]Thanks Clair! Our posts must have crossed in the ether! Can't believe

Christmas was 40 days ago! Do French people also have pancakes on Mardi

- gras?

[/quote]

Le Mardi Gras is the day before Le Carême, during which you eat lean for 40 days.

So to prepare (or to make sure nothing goes to spoils, depending on who you believe) you eat everything which will not keep for 40 days, hence Mardi Gras (Fatty Tuesday?!?)

More info (in French again) here: http://www.linternaute.com/femmes/cuisine/magazine/pratique/0502mardigras.shtml

All these are linked to the catholic religion.

[SaligoBay]

[quote user="Joyanne"]Thanks for that Polycarpe, ties in with what our daughter heard at school. Off to Auchan now to get some crepe mix! Would be interested to know why 2 Feb and not 28 Feb.
[/quote]

Crêpe mix???   Make it yourself!   And whatever you do, don't forget the orange flower water!  [:)]

Chandeleur is the date of the baby Jesus's presentation at the Temple. 

From this site http://www.fdn.fr/~rperinel/Dolaine/chandele.html   As usual, a perfectly good pagan festival kidnapped by the church!  [6]

Quelle origine?

Elle fut instituée par le Pape Vigile (VI siècle) pour remplacer la fête de Proserpine que l'on célébrait par des courses aux flambeaux.

Suivant Innocent III, elle fut établie par le Pape Gélase Ier (V siècle), qui la substitua aux Lupercales, fêtes établies en l'honneur de Pan, et qui étaient accompagnées de courses semblables.

L'origine de la Chandeleur est païenne et remonte aux Parentalia romaines: c'est-à-dire à leur fête annuelle en l'honneur des morts, au cours de laquelle ils veillaient à l'aide de cierges et de torches, en honorant Pluton et les dieux infernaux. 

[Blanche Neige]

Candlemas falls on 2nd of February and is exactly half way between the Winter solstice and the Spring equinox.

So all down hill to Spring then. BTW I saw my first snowdrops of the year this morning.

[Joy1]

Yes I can make crepe mix myself (sorry about lack of accent on e -

haven't worked out how to get one on this computer keyboard[:$]).Any

way- still need to go to Auchan to buy ingredients for crepes! Thanks

again to all for answers.

[Loiseau]

[quote user="Blanche Neige"]

 BTW I saw my first snowdrops of the year this morning.

[/quote]

 

Ah-ha. Perce-neige for Blanche Neige then?  [;)]

Angela

[Viv]

Every day is pancake day here in Brittany!

[Polycarpe]

Thanks for the info on candlemass. I asked some locals this pm and they had lost its isgnificance but guessed it was something religious.

Re Lent and  UK pancakes "hence Mardi Gras (Fatty Tuesday?!?)" and hence Carnival -  carne-vale  - "goodbye to meat".

Gimme that ol' time religion![A]

[Clair]

[quote user="viva"]Every day is pancake day here in Brittany![/quote]

I am from Normandy and I LOOOOOVE pancakes with lashes of beurre salé, thick ham + egg + béchamel or grated cheese with a Nutella pancake or 5 to finish or maybe some compote de pommes and crème fraîche...

My husband (UK born and bred) will only eat his for dessert, with sugar and lemon juice...

... 'nough said!

[Polycarpe]

Clair, vous êtes Française?  If so, HELP!

My partner just tried out a French pancake recipe on me this evening ( you can catch my howls of anguish in the DIET thread on Saturday when I weigh-in). The crêpe didn't taste like any crêpe or pancake I've ever tasted. It was thin but, almost leathery, with no tiny bubbles and a surface on both sides which appeared shiney and sealed and it felt difficult to digest. I'm told the ingredients were the same as for English pancakes.

In your experience, is there any great difference between pancakes and crêpes? And what might explain the description above? And, if my partner reads this, how would you rate my chances of ever being cooked for again?  Your experience, tact and discretion would be much appreciated.

[Loiseau]

Hi PolyC

A few things you could try, to help make pancakes lighter - gleaned from bitter experience.
I mix my batter in a robot-chef, and just pour liquid in until the consistency looks right.

- make with half milk and half water instead of all milk
- add enough liquid to make the mixture the consistency of thin cream (thick batter makes stodgy pancakes)
- add a teaspoonful of sunflower oil to the mix (don't know why, but they seem to taste more "French")
- allow batter to stand for half an hour or so between mixing and cooking
- don't put too much mixture in the pan - just the smallest amount that will cover the base when tipped quickly this way and that.
- don't give the first pancake to anybody you cherish; it's usually a bit of a failure!

Angela

 

[SaligoBay]

[quote user="Loiseau"]

Hi PolyC

A few things you could try, to help make pancakes lighter - gleaned from bitter experience.
I mix my batter in a robot-chef, and just pour liquid in until the consistency looks right.

- make with half milk and half water instead of all milk
- add enough liquid to make the mixture the consistency of thin cream (thick batter makes stodgy pancakes)
- add a teaspoonful of sunflower oil to the mix (don't know why, but they seem to taste more "French")
- allow batter to stand for half an hour or so between mixing and cooking
- don't put too much mixture in the pan - just the smallest amount that will cover the base when tipped quickly this way and that.
- don't give the first pancake to anybody you cherish; it's usually a bit of a failure!

Angela

 

[/quote]

Angela, my neighbour who showed me how to make crêpes said that the consistency is something like emulsion paint - smooth and silky, but still quite runny!

Agree with everything else, especially the bit about the first crêpe.  I now regard the first crêpe as a "priming the pan" exercise, then I don't get disappointed!

Happy Chandeleur, tlm!  [:)]

[Clair]

[quote user="Polycarpe"]

In your experience, is there any great difference between pancakes and crêpes? And what might explain the description above? And, if my partner reads this, how would you rate my chances of ever being cooked for again?  Your experience, tact and discretion would be much appreciated.

[/quote]

The only thing I could add to the excellent advice given previously is to make sure your pan is very hot.

AS children, my sisters or I would prepare the batter in the morning or at lunchtime, ready for the evening cooking. We would make enough batter for 40 or more pancakes (we would have pancake meals, as described earlier and also have some for breakfast the following day!).

I still mix "farine de sarrasin" with plain flour into a bowl before making a well and adding the eggs, milk, salt, sugar and oil. And a bit of Calvados too!

It's ready when it pours just like emulsion paint (description is just right!) with no lumps (grumeaux).

I've never tried making the batter in a mixer, but I'm sure it's perfectly fine too!

Part of the preparation still involves a shallow bowl with some oil inside. We would roll some cotton wool inside a piece of cloth/muslin (to avoid fibres over the pan).

The idea is to leave the cotton ball to soak up the oil, run the ball all over the very hot pan (a proper shallow cast iron poële à crêpes).

With non-stick pans, you don't need to do this, but I still don't think you can get them as hot!

With a small laddle, pour the batter in the middle of the pan and immediately slightly lift and swivel the pan to spread the runny batter to cover the edges. Top up the edges with the laddle if necessary, without overloading the pan.

After a couple of minutes, the edges start bubbling and crisping up, then the middle dries out: it's time to turn it. Firts make sure the crêpe is not catching by running a metal spatula underneath it.  If you feel confident, toss it, otherwise simply place the spatula under the centre of the crêpe and boldly lift and turn!

The cooked side of crêpe should be golden, with patches of brown (wher the batter first came into contact with the hot pan) and cream (where the batter has bubbled).

Leave for a few seconds until the other side starts bubbling, then its' ready!!

As mentioned earlier, the first crêpe is usually wasted. It allows you to check if the pan is hot enough and oiled enough.

Now... my experience of English pancakes is very limited. My MIL (RIP) made them very greasy and thick. Once I'd been served with one, I'd make sure there would be no other to follow! No "crêpe de dentelle" there!

[Polycarpe]

[*]Angela, Saligo and Clair,[*]

 

Thanks so much for all the astuces which even my partner enjoyed reading. I shall dilute yesterdays batter a touch and see if that makes a difference to the consistency of the pancake. It was beautifully thin yesterday but the pancake had a robustness that I found took some digesting.

Whatever the case, it won't be like mother-in-law (RIP) pancake. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Polycarpe]

I've just tried the same mixture as last night. Thought about diluting it but it seemed the perfect consistency. I heated the pan as hot as it would go with the tiniest drop of sesame oil (non-toasted) and poured in just enough batter to cover. A perfect pancake - light, dentellé, and almost melt-in-the-mouth. I think that pan last night wasn't hot enough.

This afternoon, we should be able to present our quota of crêpes, heads held high.[Y]

Thanks again.

[Clair]

[quote user="Polycarpe"]

I've just tried the same mixture as last night. Thought about diluting it but it seemed the perfect consistency. I heated the pan as hot as it would go with the tiniest drop of sesame oil (non-toasted) and poured in just enough batter to cover. A perfect pancake - light, dentellé, and almost melt-in-the-mouth. I think that pan last night wasn't hot enough.

This afternoon, we should be able to present our quota of crêpes, heads held high.[Y]

Thanks again.

[/quote]

Well done Polycarpe![*][*]

Now about my fee... I would think about 30% of your output...? [:D][:P]

[Val_2]

I live in crêpe country and use my billig at least once per week. The trick is not to have it too hot or the crêpes burn before they are set and well buttered or oiled, once you have done it a few times it is quite easy to master especially wrapping the crêpe round the whole of the spatula to turn it over ready for the fillings to go in.

[battypuss1]

Be careful!!! I don't mean about Chandeleur either, rather than getting a bit of paper asking you to make crepes for the school - normally primaire! Anything less than 20 is considered really mean but of course only three people ever do it anyway. Often they work it out so that chandeleur and shrove tuesday coincide.