February 22-28 is National Pancake Week!!!

Admit it. You're asking yourself why this forum is open again (and why pancakes deserve a week-long celebration). Well, you've probably heard about giving up your favorite indulgences for Lent--the period of fasting and abstinence in the weeks leading up to Easter. But what does that have to do with pancakes? Read on.

Pancake Week (and TFN's Pancakes and Waffles Forum) are grounded in ancient tradition. During the Middle Ages, it was common practice to prepare for the austerity of Lent by purging the pantry of luxurious foods such as eggs, butter and milk. These ingredients often became big batches of pancakes. To this day, many communities around the world feast on pancakes all the way through Shrove Tuesday--also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras--before the season of moderation begins on Ash Wednesday. In fact, another name for Fat Tuesday is Pancake Day.

What does this have to do with this forum? Well not much. It's just an excuse to open up this forum.