Fat Tuesday, with a shout from Westminster and the Dollivers

So today being Shrove Tuesday, as well as Day Two of Westminster, the dog show, that is, there was quite a mob in the kitchen, the Dollivers all crowding in to take part in the Making of the Apple Pancakes, 

and the purebreds of the Dolliver Kennels being restrained by wrangler NameMe, from diving into the batter and helping. The dogs are plaintive about not getting their due lately, so we let them in here.

The recipe is from the Durham Cathedral Library collection of manuscripts, and is comparatively recent as these things go, from the eighteenth century.  So, since Durham Cathedral is part of my home territory, it seemed good to celebrate that as well as the day.

The tradition dates from the custom of fasting during Lent, which starts tomorrow, and required that you use up all your eggs and butter ahead of time. Pancakes are the result.  Mine will go with honey, not with the traditional lemon and sugar, though, except maybe I'll do one with lemon and sugar, just to be friendly. 

This uses apple slices, and since I seem to be on an apple thing these days, I made the apple frittery type pancakes.  They were pretty edible, but not pretty enough for prime time.  I'm currently baking the rest of the batter and the apples as a clafoutis.

Also reseasoning the two bigger cast iron pans which have developed a couple of hotspots.  This accounts for the less than pretty pancakes, and requires scrubbing with kosher salt, rinsing, baking dry in the oven, then oiling.  Then hoping the seasoning will hold up.  I don't use the two bigger ones as often as the baking dish and the little egg pan, and they do like to be used a lot, so that's probably what's up.

So they're baking along with the clafoutis.  This is getting perilously close to those hairbrained ideas about poaching salmon in the dishwasher, or sizzling steak on the hot engine of your car..