Fat Tuesday Food Traditions
March 8, 2011 is Fat Tuesday! If you're not making Ben's wonderful Mardi Gras menu, you can still take part in Fat Tuesday with these indulgent traditions from around the world.
Cardamom Cream Puffs (Semlor)
These cream- and almond paste-filled buns are wildly popular in Sweden, where you can buy them from the beginning of the year until Fat Tuesday. Popular lore says that a Swedish king died after eating 14 helpings of semlor soaked in warm milk. Try SAVEUR's recipe for semlor, which substitutes a decadent piped cardamom custard for the almond paste.
Danish Carnival Buns (Fastelavnsboller)
Fastelavn is Denmark's version of Carnival, traditionally celebrated the Sunday before Lent. Fastelavnsboller are custard- or cream-filled buns. Fastelavn is also the day for "beating the cat out of the barrel". Though today, the barrel is filled with candy, the barrel used to house a real black cat. If you'd rather stick to the sweets, try this Fastelavn Buns recipe [Allrecipes.com].
Pancake Tuesday
In the U.K., Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Tuesday, which is a tradition we can definitely support. Try one of our 12 pancake recipes, from classic buttermilk flapjacks to Shopsin's pumpkin pancakes.
What do you plan to eat today?
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