My friend Progressive Pragmatist put up a post on pancakes this afternoon. She's right - convervative or liberal, progressive or orthodox, Episcopalians are eatin' pancakes today!
Some Episcopalians are running races with pancakes. Why, on earth, would we run around flipping pancakes? Apparently, a frazzled housewife in Olney, England was cooking her pancake lunch on the last day before Lent when the church bell rang, calling folks to the mid-day service of confession. Still holding her skillet, she took off running down the street to the church and the rest is history. Since that 1445 event, Olney has become famous for its pancake race. (Some 300 years later, Olney would also be the place where John Newton wrote the words for Amazing Grace.) The race inspired folks in Liberal, Kansas to try a version of their and now ladies from Olney compete with ladies from Liberal each year, racing and flipping their way down the street.
I had hoped to enjoy another pastry on Fat Tuesday this year. It's almost a sacred pastry. It's a terrific cake recipe that's been used at a church bazaar for many years. My cake wasn't quite as good as the one my friend bakes - I have some practicing to do - but it was pretty darn good! It's one of those cakes that is even better several days after baking. I was all set to share my attempt with friends today. Don't you know, I got home last night to find that the dog had taught me a lesson for leaving her alone all day by pulling my cake from the counter and finishing it off! So, I'll wait 'til after Lent for my next attempt at baking butter cake.
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