
Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Or as we call it here in Newfoundland, Pancake Day. Today is the day before Christians begin the winter fast and abstinence period of Lent, and around the world people will be eating rich food as they prepare to give up something and think about what it means to be a Christian.
But like so many other Christian events, it has become secularized and is now widely celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike.
Here in Newfoundland and Labrador it is most commonly known as Pancake Day. Growing up, my mom would put things into our pancakes to predict our future, albeit, in a far safer manner than had been commonplace when she was a child. She would usually wrap it in a bit of plastic wrap to avoid one of us choking on a needle, for example. And yes, a needle was a common item found in a pancake on Pancake Day.
But I digress. We are back under lockdown here in Newfoundland, and between having to set-up my home office once again, and having some equipment issues (busted a wire for my mic), I thought it was the perfect time to bust out my very first cooking video.
Apple Cinnamon Brown Sugar sauce
1 apple
2tbsp butter
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/2cup brown sugar
- Peal and core apple. Slice apple into small pieces
- Add butter to small sauce pan set over medium heat. Add apple pieces on top of butter
- Allow apple to cook on medium-low heat to remove some of the water content.
- Once apple has softened to your liking, add cinnamon and stir. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes or until cinnamon is very fragrant.
- Add sugar and reduce heat to low. Stir until sugar has combined with butter and apples
- Allow to simmer until the pancakes have finished cooking.
Pancakes
1/2cup all-purpose flour
1tbsp white sugar
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1/2cup milk
1 egg
1tbsp vegetable oil
- Place skillet over medium heat to pre-heat before making pancake batter.
- Add all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk together to ensure that all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add egg and oil to the milk in the measuring cup and mix well.
- Add liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix only long enough to wet the dry ingredients. The less you mix your batter the better.
- Once the pan is pre-heated (you can check by flicking a few drops of water on the surface to see if it sizzles), give a the cooking surface a wipe of oil. Less is better when it comes to the oil.
- Pour batter onto the cooking surface. You will know when it is ready to flip once you have seen bubbles breaking the surface and the edges of the pancakes are looking dry. If you are unsure, you can gently lift the edge to see if the bottom is cooked.
- Flip pancake and allow to finish cooking.
- Place cooked pancakes on your favourite plate and top with apple cinnamon brown sugar sauce.