Marshall Presbyterian Church will be opening the February 17th Marshall Gras celebration with a Shrove Tuesday pancake breakfast at the church, 165 Main Street, 7-10am, $5 at the door. Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as Shrovetide Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday and Pancake Day, is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of the 40-day penitential season of Lent.
"Shrove Tuesday" comes from the word “shrive,” meaning "confess." The term “Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday,” which refers to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season begins. Back in the day, pancakes were eaten because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar. Lenten fasting emphasizes eating plainer food and refraining from the good stuff. In many cultures, this means no meat, dairy, or eggs.
Factoid: Christians in Newfoundland mix small tokens into the pancake batter. Children take delight in discovering the tokens, which are supposed to predict the future. For example, the person who finds a coin will be wealthy; someone who finds a nail will become (or marry) a carpenter. However, anyone who finds a nail in their pancakes at our Shrove Tuesday fundraiser will receive a tetanus shot! wink emoticon (Note: Marshall Presbyterians will NOT be mixing anything other than food elements into our pancake batter!)
