Pancake Day

Over a casual conversation I found out about "Pancake Day" since I am a big fan of pancakes I really wanted to find out more. In the next couple days I had come to the final conclusion of making this a party at my place. Now with a good hand full of people we will celebrate pancake day with a big feast and a variety of pancakes.

Before hosting this party I needed to inform myself why we have this pancake day in the first place. I later found out that it is the last day before lent and things like butter and  eggs weren't allowed to be eaten. It was time to actively start practising abstinence, of giving things up.   

An English Pancake is thin, flat and fried in a pan with sugar sprinkled over the top with a dash of fresh lemon or orange juice. Then this pancake is rolled into what looks very much like a crepe, some people here add golden syrup or jam. 

English Pancake Recipe:

220g Flour, sifted pinch of salt

2 Eggs

1 Pint of Milk 

50g of Butter

Since the Canadian way of eating pancakes is having them thick and fluffy, I am sure that people will still eat them even though they aren't nearly as traditional. 

Canadian Pancake Recipe:

1-1/2 cups of milk

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 white sugar 

2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup of butter, melted

Trivia:

Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day or Pancake Tuesday - UK, Ireland and OZ

Terca-feira gorda (Fat Tuesday)- The final day of the Brazilian Carnival

Apocreas 'from the meat' - Greece since they don't eat meat during Lent

Fettisdagen (Fat Tuesday) - Sweden

Mardi Gras - USA and France 

Sprengidagur (Bursting day) - Iceland 

Fastnacht or Fasteloven - Germany 

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!!!!

Birmingham and Brand New

Woke up without enough sleep, off to the train station we went. I slept on the train. Yay, new place!

First, we got off the train and escaped through a cold shopping centre, instantly found a map. Now onwards to wards the first bookstore. i bought Warm bodies and World War Z, since we watched the Walking dead earlier in the week.  It was excellent to cash in on my birthday present :)

City Counsel building. 

Went to the farmer's market. Apparently British farmers breed ostriches, the smell and look of the pastries there were nothing short of appetising.

Now I have a picture of the queen. 

* Went to the museum and art gallery, too much renaissance art, queues too long for 10 da Vincis

Lace Exhibit: I have forgotten the name of the exhibit but it was my favourite art display I have seen since I have arrived to England.

Went for lunch. Dimsum and candy towers buffet. In the China town guide we wandered in search of a store that does not exist. MuMu's stationary.

Can you see that bubblewarp building, oh yeah and the cathedral. 

To Millennium Point which was horribly designed, it was such a long walk to get into that building...instead we hit up a Starbucks, read new books. It was time to head over to 02 Academy, met simon and zoe

Brand New 

A late train back into Derby and then a saunter back to the bed. A good day out!

Snow in England

When it started to snow on Sunday everyone at work was not only worried but people started to call for rides to make sure that they would be able to get home. Fair enough, I wouldn't want to be stuck at work with no way home either. Taxi lines were busy, buses were out of service and even flights were being cancelled. There was a panic: people were not getting a satellite signal on their tellies! What to do? Cars driving no faster than 20 miles per hour if that, cars abandon on the side of the road and even main roads between suburbs were closed down. After I was finished work I taught some friends how we make snowmen Canadian stylez!

Coming from Canada I found the snow not only really nostalgic but really pretty not having seen any since I landed in Edmonton in February last year. Lucky for me it didn't last that long but it was sure cold!

I am sure there are a lot of people out there that think of Canada as a waste land of snow since we bark really loud about how cold it gets. To be honest the snow itself isn't the thing about Canada I dislike it is the -30C.

This is what I think of when I hear the words 'lots of snow'

Here, like Vancouver they are NOT prepared for snow fall, snow removal seems to be non-existent. They throw salt and gravel over what snow they do get in hopes that it will melt as quickly as it came. As long as it doesn't get any colder than the lows of -8C I think I will be all right. A news post of the insanity due to the snow in the UK

Enjoy the snow.