This past Tuesday, JP and I were invited to a Pancake Feast at one of our neighbor's homes. It was fantastically delicious, and a learning experience as well.

We learned that many people have grown up with the tradition of pancake feasting on "Fat Tuesday," the day before Ash Wednesday when the church calendar moves us into the season of Lent. During Lent, it is common for people to give up certain foods from their diet, often those most fattening or tempting to them, or other items and practices in their life that can be obsessive or overly lush, maybe TV-watching, swearing, caffeine, and so on. To give something up during Lent is a sacrifice, and the opportunity for one to 'die to self.' Started among families, the pancake feast was seen as an opportunity to rid the kitchen of eggs, butter, and other fattening items that folks might give up for Lent. It has sometimes even been a tradition among churches, and National Pancake day actually takes place on this same Tuesday each year, likely the result of this same kind of history.

JP and I had never participated in a Pancake Feast, and being lovers of the Pancake, we were happy to accept the invitation. Our hosts, Rachel and Todd, had laid out a plethora of pancake fillings and toppings, and my mouth was watering before the skillet was even warm. I thoroughly enjoyed my pancakes, filled with sour cherries and dark chocolate chips, topped with sour cherry syrup, dulce de leche caramel, and a dab of cool whip. Guests had also provided egg casserole, and some squash au gratin. Not to mention some incredibly sweet waffles made again by Rachel (but snagged off the Rachel Ray cooking show). The waffles were so sweet and nice, you could eat them plain, from your hand.
It was truly a feast!

Then, last night JP and I went to another couple's house to continue in yet another tradition. This one is a much newer tradition, but one we certainly hope to keep. I will call it, Cooking with Friends.

While there are many people who like to eat Indian food with JP and I, Scott and Sara like to first cook that food with us, and then eat it. I was quite intimidated the first time that we tried this in the Fall. I am pretty much a novice Indian Cook, and I rarely cook with other people these days, so I was concerned that we would have an assortment of issues, particularly clueless-ness and frustrating one another's cooking abilities. However, though it took a little more time that usual to make the meal last Fall, we did it, and it tasted good. Last night we tried it again, with three brand new recipes, and in Scott and Sara's house, not ours. I realized all over again how fun it actually is to have another person there, cutting and chopping, mixing and chatting, and coughing along with you when the spices waft through the air and attack you.
The food turned out wonderfully, and JP and I were so glad to carry on this new tradition of Cooking with Friends. (Maybe you'll be next!)