Shrove Tuesday is here also known as the Pancake Tuesday in United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Canada.
Pancake day falls either in February or March a day before Ash Wednesday which is the first day of Lent.
Here are some ways this is known as/called in various other countries and how is celebrated:
- In Germany - is called Fastnachtsdienstag;
- In Denmark and Norway the day is known as Fastelavn;
- In countries where Spanish, Portuguese or Italian language is spoken it is known as Carnival - we all know about the Brazilian Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Venetians celebrate carnival with a masquerade whereas in Spain, the Carnival Tuesday is named "día de la tortilla";
- In Romania - Festivalul Clatitelor (Pancake Festival) held mainly around Brasov area but the day is also known as 'Lasata Secului';
- In Iceland - Sprengidagur (Bursting Day) marked by eating salted meat and peas;
- In Lithuania - Užgavėnės. People eat pancakes (blynai) and doughnuts called 'spurgos';
- In Sweden - Fettisdagen (Fat Tuesday) celebrated by eating a pastry type called 'semla';
- In Finland - Laskiainen - people celebrate by eating green pea soup and a pastry called laskiaispulla (sweet bread filled with whipped cream and jam or almond paste);
- In France - La chandeleurit is custom to prepare “Crêpes” and this symbolises, wealth, good crops and health for the year to come;
- In Estonia - Vastlapäev and is celebrated by eating pea soup and whipped-cream or whipped-cream and jam filled sweet-buns called vastlakukkel;
- In Poland -tłusty czwartek (Fat Thursday);
- In Slovenia - Kurentovanje - also biggest and best known carnival in Slovenia;
- In some parts of Switzerland (e.g. Lucerne) the day is called Güdisdienstag, preceded by Güdismontag - term deriving from "Güdel", which means a fat stomach full of food;
- In Hungary - Húshagyókedd;
Enjoy as many pancakes as you may fit in and...... if they happen to be healthier version like this one... I am sure there will be plenty going in.
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