Pancake Time

For my British and Canadian friends, Mardi Gras isn't about parades and wild parties, it's about pancakes. Making them and eating them on Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day, usually for dinner. (Shrove Tuesday is the British Isles/Anglican Church term for Mardi Gras.) English Shrove Tuesday pancakes tend to be flat and crêpe-like, but my pal from Ottawa wouldn't consider having anything other than fluffy North American-style pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Flat or fluffy, it's a fun way to have a weeknight celebration with family and friends.
—Mary Margaret Chappell, Food Editor