Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 (full size gallery)
Shrove Tuesday is the last day of Epiphany and the bridge to Lent which begins Wed. Feb. 14. Shrove Tuesday is a day of reflection but mostly feasting. And we did that with about 20 in the Parish House. For a variety of reasons – renovation, Village Dinner, weather we have not had one since 2013. Thanks to Dave, Eunice, Roger, Andrea, and Catherine for helping out preparing and serving and making this day a reality once again.
During the week before Lent, sometimes called Shrovetide in English, Christians were expected to go to confession in preparation for the penitential season of turning to God. One idea of the word "shrove" is from the old middle English word ‘Shriven’ meaning to go to confession to say sorry for the wrong things you’ve done.
Shrove Tuesday was the last day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, and noted in histories dating back to 1000 AD.
It was the last chance to indulge yourself, and to use up the foods that aren’t allowed in Lent. In former days, there were many foods that observant Christians would not eat during Lent: foods such as meat and fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods. So that no food was wasted, families would have a feast on the shriving Tuesday, and eat up all the foods that wouldn’t last the forty days of Lent without going off. So on Shrove Tuesday, stores of dairy products were used up in the pancake mix. Pancakes are a comon way of using up fat. Also by giving up dairy products, people marked Jesus’ 40 days and nights in the wilderness.
With Dave flipping the pancakes and Roger and Eunice helping with the sausage and White House applesauce, everyone was well fed and we did use up the fat. A great social evening. We were glad to see the Pannells showing up for the feast and Cookie and Johnny had arrived safely from Texas..