Pancake Tuesday – flippin fantastic

It’s said that baking is like washing your troubles away with dough. If that’s the case, my mother must have had a world of troubles when we were growing up!

I would like to think that baking was more of a happy activity that she enjoyed with her children. When the vintage glass rolling pin and hand mixer were produced, we knew we were in for a tasty treat that evening. The basics of baking brought us together at the kitchen table and gave us something to smile about on those long winter nights, as we chatted about school that day, all while looking forward to tasting the rewards of our efforts later that evening.

In the late 80s there wasn’t really an abundance of choice in shops when it came to freshly baked confectionery until the arrival of Cuisine de France. With a strong production line in our very own Cuisine de Boho and Cuisine de Ballindrimley our needs were catered for at our own kitchen tables. Necessities like cooking apples were in abundant supply after a quick cycle down the backroads to an orchid at a thatched cottage, which was the summer home of Dutch couple named Rince and Maria while some of the largest rhubarb every seen was grown at the back of many houses in the locality.

Great care was taken when “borrowing” the apples to ensure none were rotten or had any organism living in them as the late Mrs McGovern and Brian Conneely smiled at their gates knowing full well what heist was taking place.

Whether it was a lemon meringue pie, cheese, strawberry or chocolate cake, apple or rhubarb tart or the basic Rice Krispie buns it was a task that I thoroughly enjoyed doing together.

When the smooth Rice Krispies were in short supply the jagged Corn Flakes were used as a poor substitute, which could feel like you were chewing into blades. The sweet taste of the hot chocolate from a used wooden spoon or the dough when eating it directly from the mixer was to savour. The aroma coming from the oven would radiate through the house acting as a catalyst for tummies to rumble.

The minute the oven door closed our attention focused on the big wash up. Thankfully, that was my specialty and believe me some things never leave you and can land you with names like “OCD head” in years to come.

With hectic lifestyles in modern day society, regrettably it can be difficult to fit time for baking into the timetable.

Pancake Tuesday takes place today and from childhood it sparked excitement into my bones. When collected from school we were brought directly to my grandmothers to help make and have a feast of pancakes. Competition was strong as my grandmother’s laugh cackled through the house when judging which grandchild had the best technique of how to flip the pancake in the pan. From there when we arrived at home in Boho, it was more of the same until you basically passed out in a pancake coma.

Pancake Tuesday is now a day of the year where we make the time and aim to create that small special moment with our own children. Flipping a few pancakes on a pan is such a basic thing to do but it’s something different and can bring smiles to young shoulders which they may carry through life with them like I have. Over time, we can stop paying attention to the simple joys of life and in truth it’s the sweet simple things in life which are the real ones after all. Now throw down the pan and get flipping! Happy Pancake Tuesday everyone.

*This one is for Natalie and Miriam who shouted over to “write another one” at a Rossie match!