If you say Candlemas, you say... eating pancakes with friends and family! Candlemas is celebrated February 2, only 40 days after Christmas and is mostly celebrated in France, Belgium and Switzerland. And even now considering the current situation, it’s still possible to experiment and have fun.
Although Candlemas is a Christian holiday, everybody can celebrate it by trying different variations. From country to country, people enjoy pancakes differently in different tastes as well as in different shapes and with different garnish.
International menu
Crumpets - In Great Britain, small sugared pancakes with the typical thick shape are called crumpets. It’s custom to eat these for breakfast, brunch and during “tea time” with honey or melted butter.
Jian Bing - Did you know that in China the pancakes are similar to the pancakes from Breton? They’re called “Jian Bing” and are the cousins of the pancakes with egg, ham and cheese. Originally people ate them for breakfast. But these days, everyone eats them at any given time. This dish is considered “street food”.
Atayef - The pancakes “atayef” come from Lebanon and are smaller and thinner than the crumpets. They distinguish themselves mostly by their garnish. The base for these pancakes is cream, crushed pistachios and honey sauce or sugar and orange blossom syrup. This dessert is perfect for the sugary/salty contrast!
Injera - In Ethiopia the main dish is Injera, a pancake garnished in different ways. You can find vegetables, cheese, chicken, lamb and much more in them. Asa beyanetu, Cornise, Shifinfin,… every concoction has its own name. The most important part of this dish is eating it TOGETHER. This specialty is eaten out of a big bowl with multiple people.
Aebleskiver - The “Aebleskiver” are Danish pancakes that are shaped like a little ball. They’re traditionally eaten during Christmas, with warm wine Glogg and contain jelly made of redcurrants. Their name is kind of deceiving given the fact that it translates to “apple slices”, which they don’t contain at all. The recipe was actually modernized and no longer includes this ingredient.
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