if (todayNow < Shrove14) { document.write("Only " + Math.ceil((Shrove14.getTime()-todayNow.getTime())/(one_day)) + " days until Shrove Tuesday 2014.") } else if (todayNow < Shrove15) { document.write("Only " + Math.ceil((Shrove15.getTime()-todayNow.getTime())/(one_day)) + " days until Shrove Tuesday 2015.") } else if (todayNow < Shrove16) { document.write("Only " + Math.ceil((Shrove16.getTime()-todayNow.getTime())/(one_day)) + " days until Shrove Tuesday 2016.") } else { document.write("Only " + Math.ceil((Shrove17.getTime()-todayNow.getTime())/(one_day)) + " days until Shrove Tuesday 2017.") } //Set the two dates //Get 1 day in milliseconds //Calculate difference btw the two dates, and convert to days
When is Shrove Tuesday 2011 | 8th March 2011
- Pancake Jokes
- When is Shrove Tuesday in 2012?
- Tasty International Pancakes
- Etymology of the Word Shrove
- Shrove Tuesday Traditions
- Shrovetide
- Pancake Records
- Guy's Pancake Recipe
Pancake Jokes
A Welshman, an Englishman and an American were having a drink. At first they talked about cars and farms, and true to form, the American had the swankiest car and the biggest farm. Then they got to talking about children's names. 'My son was born on St David's Day', remarked the Welshman, 'So - look you, we obviously Christened him David.' 'That's a real coincidence', observed the Englishman', My son was born on Michaelmas Day, 29th of September, so we decided to call him Michael.' 'That's remarkable', piped up the American, 'Exactly the same thing happened with my son Pancake.'Playing God?
It was Shrove Tuesday and Mrs Thomas was making pancakes for her sons, Aaron 6, and Kelvin 8. As usual, the brothers began to argue over who should get the first pancake. Their mother saw a wonderful opportunity for a moral lesson. 'If Jesus were sitting at the table, He would say, "Let my brother have the first pancake".' Quick as a flash Kelvin turned to Aaron and said, 'Aaron, today you can be Jesus!'Reader's Pancake Joke, Complete with Funny Picture
What did the young pancake say to the old burnt pancake?
I don't like your flip side.
Shrove Tuesday? - Give
me Mardi Gras any day! 

Jenny Loves Her Pancakes
One February Jenny went to her psychiatrist. She told him, "My friends said that I had to come see you because they think I have a problem with pancakes." The psychiatrist says, "Why do they think that?" "Well," Jenny replies. "Because, I just like pancakes." "That's not a problem," the psychiatrist responds. "I love griddle cakes too!" "Really?!" the Jenny exclaims. "Then you should come to my house, I have a whole attic full of pancakes!"Pancake Joke For April Fool's Day
On April 1st John's mother put a fire cracker under the pancakes. She blew her stack.When Was Shrove Tuesday in 2011? - 8th of March
Remember that it's Easter that fixes the date for Shrove Tuesday. Therefore working backwards, we have Lent with its 40 days of fasting before we get to Easter. Now Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, so the day before is when cooks use up all the 'naughty foods'. In the olden days two 'naughty foods', which are not allowed in Lent, would be butter and eggs - ideal for making pancakes. Hence Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day. Curiously, when calculating Lent, Sundays don't count, hence Shrove Tuesday is actually 47 days before Easter Sunday. Date for Shrove Tuesday 2011 The earliest possible date for Shrove Tuesday is the 3rd of February, while the latest possible date is the 9th of March.- 2011 - 8th March (very late)
- 2012 - 21st February
- 2013 - 12th February (early)
- 2014 - 4th March
A Definition of Shroving
Shroving is a ancient British custom in which children sang or recited poetry in exchange for food or money. A popular shroving rhyme went like this: Knock, knock, the pan's hot And we are coming a-shroving For a piece of pancake Or a piece of bacon Or a piece of truckle* cheese Of your own making. *Truckle cheese is barrel shaped and is often mature Cheddar.Some Tasty International Pancakes Brought to you by Will and Steve
America (USA): We believe that American style
pancakes are particularly thick or fluffy, and best served with Vermont
maple syrup and butter. Some American cooks add a little vanilla,
while others add blueberries; most also add baking powder to create their
'griddlecakes'. Canada: Canadian pancakes are moister than American ones
but still served with maple syrup. China: Chinese pancakes are fried in sesame oil
and are apparently superb with duck. Finland: Finnish pancakes are ideal for people
with a sweet tooth, these should be served with jam, whipped cream, berries,
cinnamon and sugar, honey or maple syrup. France: Will can support the fact that the French
excel at crepes [sweet] and galettes [savoury] and often served with a
bowl of local cider. Germany: The Germans tend to make apple pancakes
which are baked in the oven. They also have 'Puff' pancakes, which
look like English 'Yorkshire Puddings'. India: Indian pancakes sound scrummy; savoury pancakes
are prepared with ginger, garlic and cayenne. Mung beans may also be part of
the recipe. Italy: Calzonia are common in Italy, they are more like
an enclosed pizza than an English pancake. Mexico: The renowned Mexican pancake equivalent is the
wheat tortilla; Will has also eaten them made from maize [cornmeal]. Netherlands: 'Flensjes' are crepe cakes, usually made
with apples and occasionally rhubarb. Nigeria: Nigerian pancakes are often served with beans,
tomatoes and shrimp, making a complete meal. Norway: 'Krumkakes' are thin, crisp, cone-shaped
cookie-like crepes, often served at Christmas. They are sometimes made with
a special flat iron which leaves a decorative pattern. Poland: Will and Guy's friend, Kinga Sadkowska, tells
them that Polish pancakes, 'Nalesniki', are thin crepes which are usually
served with a special cottage cheese filling. Lovely. Russia: The regular Russian the pancake of choice is the
'blini': which is small and thick, ideal with sour cream or caviar. Sweden: The Swedish Raggmunk is made from riced
potatoes. Welsh: The Welsh make their pancakes with buttermilk or
sour cream. Perhaps you are able to add to this list? We would like to get to
20 types of pancakes.? If so, please let us know. We
particularly prize funny pancakes.Why Pancake Day is Celebrated Less in the USA
Much of America celebrates Mardi Gras on the day before Lent. That's the same day as Shrove Tuesday, and as there is no contest between pancakes and a parade followed by a party, Shrove Tuesday gets overlooked anywhere where they celebrate Mardi Gras. Incidentally 'Mardi' is the French for Tuesday and Gras means fat, hence 'Fat Tuesday'.Etymology of the Word Shrove
In modern English, the word 'Shrove' has no meaning outside of pancake or Shrove Tuesday. Academics can trace shrove to the past tense of the verb shrive, which itself means absolution. This derivation helps to cement the meaning of eating up luxury food before the penance of fasting during Lent. If you bring to mind other old words such as Yuletide (Christmas) and Eastertide, then it will be no surprise that there are lesser known '-tides', Allhallowtide (Halloween), Whitsuntide (Whitson) and Shrovetide. My point is that Shrove Tuesday is the last day of Shrovetide.Shrove Tuesday Traditions
In the 21st century, Shrove Tuesday is most strongly associated with pancake activities.- The world record for cooking the biggest pancake was set in Rochdale, Yorkshire, England in 1994. The super-pancake measured 15 metres in diameter and weighed 3 tons.
- Ralf Laue from Leipzig, Saxony, Germany broke the world record in 1997 by tossing a pancake 416 times in two minutes.
- Pancake races in various towns, most famously, in Olney, Buckinghamshire, England.
Shrovetide
Shrovetide football in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England is something different, a unique game. On Shrove Tuesday, and also on Ash Wednesday, the Up'ards play the Down'ards, its a no hold's barred game of football with the goals three miles apart. Instead of a kick-off, Shrovetide has a 'turning up' where a dignitary throws the special ornate ball into the crowd and the game starts. The event first came to the wider public's notice when in 1928 the then Prince of Wales (Later abdicating King Edward VIII) got caught up in the mêlée. Without modern-day protection officers he got sucked into the scrum and came out with his nose bleeding.

Further Shrove Tuesday Jollies Around England
Thanks to Adrian Tierney-Jones and The Telegraph online for researching these lovely old games. It's interesting how they are all held on Pancake Day, and all involve a large number of people over much greater distances than modern football pitches. These games seem timeless in both senses of the word.The Ball Game Atherstone, Warwickshire, England
According to Harold H Taft, secretary of the Ball Game Committee, this rough, tough game (that uses something akin to a medicine ball) has its roots in the time of King John. "The game is a free-for-all and anyone can take part," he says, adding pointedly, "...at their own risk." The ball is thrown from a first floor window at Barclays Bank and the first battle is to claim one of three ribbons attached to the ball. The ball is then kicked up and down the street and after 90 minutes a massive scrum forms with whoever ends up with the ball at 5pm being declared the winner. "To an outsider it can look quite dangerous," agrees Taft with a sage smile. Kick-off: 3pm.The Shrove Tuesday Football Ceremony of the Purbeck Marblers Corfe Castle, Dorset, England
Members of the Company of Marblers and Stone Cutters of Purbeck gather at The Fox for their annual meeting and lunch. Afterwards they kick a football (it used to be a pig's bladder) through West Street over an open piece of ground and back to the town hall. The "game" is much more subdued that it used to be (records from the Fifties recall broken windows). "Now we tend to stand back and let the traffic go," says stone mason Brian Bugler, who has been playing for 30 years. This game is confined to the men who work in the trade - from 15-30 take part. In 1992, a local policeman ignorant of the tradition confiscated the ball. Kick-off: 1.30pmCornish Hurling St Columb, Cornwall, England
The "pitch" is a massive 31 square miles, while the game is supposedly an echo of a pagan ritual celebrating the lengthening of the days as spring approached. The ball is the size of a cricket ball, made from apple wood and covered with silver. Two sides take part: those living in the town (the townsmen) and those outside (the countrymen), with up to 50 on each side. "People come and watch it at their own risk," laughs Colin Rescorla, a local funeral director who has been making the ball for the past 20 years. Non-locals can have a go but, as Rescorla says, "If you aren't recognised then you won't get your hands on the ball unless by brute force." Kick-off: 4.30pm.Scoring the Hales Alnwick, Northumberland, England
This caused so much devastation when it took place in the streets of Alnwick that the Duke of Northumberland offered a meadow called the Pasture as a replacement. More than 100 players take part, representing local parishes St Paul's and St Michael's. The game starts with the match ball being thrown from the Barbican of Alnwick Castle to the chairman of the Shrovetide Football Committee. Everyone then marches over the River Aln to the field of play. The game is decided by scoring goals or hales. When a hale is scored the teams change ends; the first to score two hales wins. Kick-off: 2pmRipon Pancake Day Race Scrapped
The Ripon traditional pancake race has been scrapped because of fears over health and
safety. The event was revived 11 years ago and since then crowds have gathered in the
centre of Ripon, North Yorkshire, UK, on Shrove Tuesday.
Schoolchildren run down a cobbled street flipping pancakes after the start is
signalled by the ringing of the cathedral's ancient 'pancake bell' at 11 am. Organisers reluctantly scrapped the popular event this year because of mounting
costs and bureaucracy linked to health and safety rules. The police wanted
more than £1,000, to control the event. In the past, local schools and
businesses have entered teams to race while tossing pancakes. Organiser Councillor Bernard Bateman added, 'Health and safety has just gone
too far. It makes you think twice about even trying to hold events like this,
even though they are extremely popular, especially amongst children. The main
issue with health and safety is the cobbled street people could slip on, but it
causes us so much trouble just for a little issue. This stupidity never happened
previously. It's a shame that these issues stop the children enjoying such a
traditional event.' Will and Guy can't help but agree with Mr Bateman. We also wonder if
this is just a UK problem, please let us know the Health and Safety
situation is in other countries.Guy's Special Pancake Recipe
Ingredients 150g / 6oz plain flour, sifted pinch of salt 3 eggs 300ml / 12 fl oz milk mixed with 100ml / 4fl oz water 75g / 3oz butter Special Shrove Tuesday ingredient - Sultanas. Add about 20 currants, raisins or sultanas (best) to the mixture when it's in the frying pan. Method
