For pancake lovers, Shrove Tuesday, which is March 4, is fast approaching, being the day where you can openly indulge in consuming your favourite crêpes.

The word ‘shrove’ is the past tense of the verb ‘shrive’, which means to obtain absolution for one’s sins by way of confession and doing penance.

Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the custom for Christians to be “shriven” before the start of Lent.

Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent.

The religious fasting emphasised eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure.

On Pancake Day, pancake races are held in villages and towns across the United Kingdom, an occasion where dress code and devilish antics contribute to helping keen racers literally plunge to the finish line, with frying pan in hand tossing pancakes into the air and catching them in the pan whilst running.

Indeed ‘back in the day’, we used to hold one in the High Street in Pinner, the area was cordoned off for the event, and local bobbies would position themselves at either end of the race line for the duration.

Local pubs and restaurants would enter teams with celebrities also putting in an appearance.

The most famous pancake race is the one held at Olney in Buckinghamshire, dating back to 1445, and is said to have originated

when a housewife from Olney, was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service.

She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake.

For the first time, we will be serving a pancake menu at Friends this year.

There will be savoury versions to start and for main course, and a couple of options for dessert, should be fun!

Here is the recipe for a main course option:

Smoked haddock pancake with Gruyère

Ingredients

(serves 4)

n 75g plain flour

n a pinch of salt

n 2 large eggs

n 150ml milk

n a little oil for frying

For the filling:

n 2 small leeks, trimmed and sliced

n 350g smoked haddock fillet

n 450ml milk

n 50g soft butter

n 3tbsp plain flour

n 75g gruyere cheese, grated

n 2tbsp finely cut chives

n salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1) Place the milk, flour, salt and eggs into a liquidiser and blend until smooth: it should be the consistency of single cream.

2) Pour the batter into a jug.

3) Heat a 20cm diameter non-stick frying pan and drizzle a little oil over the centre, wiping it around with a piece of kitchen paper.

4) Pour a little of the batter into the pan and immediately tilt the pan to spread the batter thinly and evenly over the base. 5) Cook for 2 mins until the top is set, then turn the pancake over with a spatula.

5) Cook for a further one to two mins or until the other side is golden.

6) Place the pancakes on a tray, separately, and keep warm.

7) Using the same process, make another 7 pancakes.

8) To make the filling, place the leeks and the haddock, skin side up in a pan, and pour over the milk.

9) Cover and bring to the boil.

10) Simmer gently for six to eight minutes or until the fish and leeks are tender.

11) Strain the milk into a jug and reserve.

12) Remove the skin from the fish and break the flesh into flakes, set aside the fish and leeks.

13) Return the milk to the pan, mix together the butter and flour, then return to the heat and bring to the boil, whisking with a wire whisk until the mixture thickens.

14) Simmer for one minute.

15) Remove from the heat and stir in half of the cheese and season to taste.

16) Mix two-thirds of the sauce with the chives, fish and leeks.

17) Divide the fish mix between the pancakes and roll each up to a neat roll.

18) Place them in an ovenproof dish then pour over the remaining sauce and top with the remaining cheese.

19) Place under a hot grill until crisp and golden.