Shrove Tuesday - less about the pancake and more about the toss

Food has always been a huge part of my life, I guess that is why I became a chef and why I write this blog. 

As a child Pancake Tuesday was one of the dates that I most looked forward to. I would rush home from school, eat my dinner (including all my greens) with a reverence that is rarely seen in a small child. Then my father would take to the stage, whipping up a batch of pancake batter ready to begin the ritual that would take place every year. 

Myself and my sister would look on with awe as my father would begin to successfully toss one pancake after another in the air with us both chanting “higher, higher”. Sure enough he would not disappoint until reaching a crescendo of pancakes being splattered on the ceiling and my sister and I falling about the kitchen in hysterical laughter. 

These days I am the father and it is my duty to do this for my 3 yo, and sure enough I get the same results that my father did with me, with my wife looking on with a disapproving look in her eye, but secretly enjoying the frolics that are going on in the kitchen. It’s good to keep the traditions alive and for me as delicious as pancakes are it is less about the eating of them and more about the toss

100g plain flour

2 eggs

300ml milk

whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, heat a good non stick pan on the stove and apply a small amount of oil (Ilike to put the oil on a piece of kitchen roll and rub that on to the pan) ladle in a small amount of batter and tilt the pan until a fine layer of batter has covered the pan, cook for 45 seconds then turn the pancake with a palette knife and cook for a further 30 second. The pancake will now be cooked and ready for a final toss before eating.