This year, Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday, will be celebrated on 5th February

 

This is a last minute reminder for all the people who've got a sweet-tooth: If, for any reason, it has slipped your mind, tomorrow is Pancake Day, in French Mardi Gras, the best occasion to test you cooking talents and please family and friends. Forget about buying quickly one of these disgusting ready to cook powders and surprise everybody with our delicious recipes. To serve with a tasty French Cider from Brittany or Normandy, or natural apple juice for the youngest:

  

1.    Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Break the eggs into another bowl and mix until yolks and whites are blended. Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in beaten eggs. (French chefs often break the eggs right into the dry ingredients but this makes mixing more difficult.   

2.     Stir the flour mixture into the eggs little by little. The dough will be difficult to work and it may be necessary to add a little milk (or whatever liquid is used in the particular recipe) to incorporate all the flour. Add the liquid a spoonful at a time and mix it in thoroughly before adding more liquid. When the mixture becomes easy to work (when about half of the liquid has been used) the remainder can be added in two portions.    

3.     Add melted butter (and flavourings if indicated).    

4.  Mix again, cover and set aside for at least an hour but not more than 6 hours at room temperature. Crepe batter can be held overnight in the refrigerator. If necessary, the crepe batter can be cooked immediately, but the "resting" time allows the flour to absorb more liquids, makes the batter easier to handle, and gives the crepes more flavour. Since flours vary in their ability to absorb liquid, if the crepe batter seems too thick when you are ready to cook it, a small amount of extra liquid can be added at this time. The consistency could be at least as thin as heavy cream.