Is there anything better than the second pancake?

These days everyone is asking me if and what I am giving up for Lent.

I have to admit that it never enters my mind to give anything up. Lent was introduced to stop people from overeating as was the custom at the times.

Pancake Tuesday is the last day of indulgence as eggs didn’t keep. As much as I am a glutton, I don’t think I am overeating too much. A lot of people also use Lent to start a diet, if they haven’t done so at the start of the year, as it might seem easier.

The funniest things people gave up were swearing (lasted about two hours), chocolate (never happens really), smoking (same here) and one girl even tried to give up texting her ex-boyfriend (not sure how that penned out).

But seriously, if you have the need of giving something up, do (maybe not telling anyone about it so that you don’t have to admit defeat). And now the funniest thing – Lent is 40 (excluding Sundays) days long and in the middle of that they have placed St Patrick’s Day where we are all indulging in food and drink. Talk about irony.

I wonder if anyone ever lasted the full period of Lent with whatever they gave up on? But let’s talk about the best thing about upcoming Lent – the pancakes.

Is there anything better than the second pancake out of the pan? I like mine just as they are with a bit of sugar and cinnamon while Little Miss Sophie (who happens to be a big fan of my pancakes) loves to spread Nutella all over.

The shops are full with special mixes for pancakes but all you need is flour, eggs and milk – so easy and simple.

Here’s the recipe I have been using for the past one hundred years (or there about):

• 200g plain flour

• 3 eggs

• 250ml milk

• pinch of salt

• sunflower oil or butter for frying.

In a bowl, mix all ingredients (bar the oil/butter) and start whisking. The mix will look very lumpy indeed at the start but keep whisking – the mixture will become nice and smooth. Leave to stand for an hour if you can as it helps the batter. Then it is simply a matter of frying the little beauties off.

These pancakes also work very well with a savoury mix. In Italy you can get crespella, rolled up pancakes filled with a mix and cooked in tomato sauce in the oven. It’s delicious. A friend of mine once made a pancake tower, each layer filled with a sweet mix and then piled up and cut like a cake.

I have never been so full in my life but gosh it was delicious. So, here’s to a happy pancake Tuesday and a successful Lent with whatever you are giving up!