Peter, Solves the Pancake Question. 

"So Tuesday is Pancake Day", said I brightly, to the family at

breakfast. My husband continued his read his paper, Peter to shovel

in porridge, but David held his spoon suspended and turned wide eyes on me.

"Why is it Pancake Day on Tuesday?" he queried, with some interest.

“Shrove Tuesday," I explained, trying to be a model parent, "is

called Pancake Day because on that day people make pancakes for dinner

instead of a pudding.”

The last word struck a chord in Peter's memory, end his gruff

voice commented:

"Suety puddings is what I like for my dinner wiv jam on."

David ignored the interruption.

“Why do people have to have pancakes instead of a pudding?" he asked.

"Because it is the custom, and they like them," I said.

"But do they like them better'n puddings?”

"They make a change and they are very nice, with lemon and sugar."

"Suety puddings is nice too," same the gruff voice, ‘wiv jam on."

David began a fresh line of thought.

"What sort of things are pancakes like?"

“Rather like a batter pudding,” I explained, “but thinner, Made with

flour and eggs…"

“Suety puddings have flour," said Peter. "I know, ‘cos I help stir.

Flour an' sugar an' suet" (he emphasised each item with his spoon.)

“But why do they have to call them pancakes?" persisted David,

raising his voice above the din. Vainly I tried to stop Peter, but it was not till his chant reached a triumphant climax of "jam on top" that I was able to answer:

“They are called pancakes because they are cooked in a pan."

David was mildly surprised .

“Why do you have to cook them in a pan?” he inquired, pleasantly.

I ceased to be the model parents

"I don't have to cook them in a pan, or have to cook them at all,

They are a great bother to make and I shall only make them if people want

them," I appealed to the table at large. "Does anyone want them?"

“I dunno," said David, vaguely. "Can I have an apple now?"

"Please yourself, dear," said a voice from behind the paper.

Peter scraped the last morsel of brown sugar from his plate

and put down his spoon,

"I want," he said, with determination," suety pudding wiv

jam on."

So that settles Pancake Day for this year! But I wish that

those cookery experts who tell you the family craves variety would try out

their theory in my house.