Catch the flavour: ~Shrove Tuesday ~
My favourite holiday is upon us! Shrove Tuesday. The day before Ash Wednesday. 'Though named for its former religious significance, it is marked by feasting and celebration, which traditionally preceded the observance of the Lenten fast.'
Here in Venice they observe this day as Mardi Gras translated from french as Fat Tuesday, it refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. So it's the Venetian Carnevale we have all come to know. People dress up in costumes and masks and drink wine and prosecco and spritz until they fall over.
This day has a special significance for me. In England Shrove Tuesday is celebrated as PANCAKE DAY! Our British version of feasting consists of getting fat by indulging in the most glorious pancake combinations known to mankind. Pancakes coated in maple syrup, strawberries and cream, golden syrup, lemon and sugar, cheese, meatballs, ham, kimchi. You name it. Pancakes are my favourite food (as well as pizza) and growing up, this was an exciting day for me because I was always able to eat my favourite food non-stop for the whole day, both at school and home. I looked forward to this day more than Christmas, maybe also because it often falls on my Birthday which is the 28th of February.
Tonight I will be making pancakes but in honour of pancake day here are some of the most notable pancakes I have eaten over the last couple of years!
So, the first mention is this beautiful spread, which is from the Häagen-Dazs restaurant in Taipei. Thin, tasty crepes with various ice creams, red bean, bananas and other various chopped fruit as a topping. It was glorious.
Next up is Haemul Pajeon 해물 파전~ Korean seafood pancakes. Which I used to hate but became one of my favourite go to dishes when I fancied a salty snack while I was living in Suwon. I went to this place near Anguk station, a famous traditional food street, only a stones throw away from the King's Palace, Gyeongbokgung 경복궁, in Seoul. The Pajeon alongside the traditional Bibimguksu 비빔국수 with seaweed and 콩국수 complimented each other perfectly.
Then, we saw this already, I posed this somewhere on EGBT, brunch at D-Monster in Sinsadong just off Garosu-gil. The trendiest part of Seoul (objectively speaking, since my favourite part is actually hannam-dong).
Followed by American style hotcakes at butterfinger in Gangnam.
Honourable mentions are: The breakfast club and Granger & co. in London but I don't have any photos to hand of those at the moment.
Finally, Farinata here in Italy is a must try! Italian style chickpea pancakes. Salty and full of flavour. It may not be Kimchi pancakes but they are pretty awesome.
http://www.buonissimo.org/lericette/95_Farinata_genovese
Are you hungry yet?
HAPPY PANCAKE DAY ❤️
