Brit. Food: Pancakes and Waffles

[bluesqueak]

Steve wrote:
> I confess a very strong interest in pancakes and waffles as they
> present themselves in British society because they play a 
> significant part in a HP fanfic I am writing.
> 
> If Brits don't eat pancakes and/or waffles for breakfast, brunch, 
> or lunch, then when do they eat them? 
> 
> Do they even eat them at all? 

There is one day in the year when almost every Brit will eat 
pancakes. They are a traditional dish on Shrove Tuesday, usually 
referred to as 'Pancake Tuesday'. I think in America, it's called 
Mardi Gras?

Pancakes are not a breakfast dish here. They most often appear as a 
sweet after the evening meal, or maybe as a treat for kids. The 
traditional style is not like American pancakes (which are closer to 
what we call 'Scotch pancakes'). Pancakes are made with flour, eggs 
and milk (no baking powder or sodium bicarb). They are best if the 
mixture is allowed to stand for an hour or so - then they are pan 
cooked in the same way as the pancakes you are used to.

They might *possibly* turn up as a special brunch, but it will be a 
special occasion.

The truly traditional will serve them with lemon juice and sugar on 
top (NO BUTTER!). This is so well known as the usual English way to 
serve pancakes that it's known as pancakes English Style in most of 
Europe.

However, we do know about other toppings. We have even been known to 
do savoury toppings - but on the whole, an English pancake will be 
flat, non risen, about the size of a dinner plate, covered in lemon 
juice and sugar and then rolled up to make something looking rather 
like a rolled napkin.

> Would a waffle qualify as 'afters' or 'pudding', or would
> you attempt to make it the center piece or side piece of a main 
> early or mid-day meal.

Well, in my childhood in the North of England, I wouldn't have eaten 
a waffle at all [grin]. They are not an English dish. They do appear 
nowadays, but they're just *not* standard food. 

Hardly anyone in the UK would own a waffle iron, and if they do, 
they probably have some North American background (or maybe 
Dutch/Belgian background). Apart from the now much loved 'potato 
waffle' (see below), waffles come under the heading of 'treat'. You 
could use it as a pudding. But it wouldn't be an ordinary pudding.

> 
> Example:
> Assuming we can establish a context for eating waffles, are they
> likely to be waffles and maple syrup, or waffles with strawberries 
> and whipped cream. For reference, I prefer waffles with 'fruit on 
> the bottom' yoghurt (mmmmm... yummy), but then *I* always was a 
little odd.


Right, well. It would have to be a 'treat' sort of occasion. A 
dinner party, a birthday party, a special anniversary breakfast, 
something of that sort. The context would probably be someone 
looking up recipes for 'things to do with waffles' - we wouldn't 
know how to eat a waffle off the top of our heads. 

So you could well have strawberries and cream on top of a waffle - 
maple syrup is all imported in the UK, remember. It's *expensive*.

I think we'd usually buy Belgian waffles, but to be honest, I could 
only tell that if they had a lable on the packet saying 'Belgian 
waffles'. We do have those, I've seen them.

Oddly, the most common form of waffle in Britain is the 'potato 
waffle'. These are potato formed into waffle shapes, come frozen in 
packets, generally oven cooked or maybe deep fried depending on the 
make. They are very popular with kids, as you can do fun things with 
your food - baked beans, eggs, tinned spaghetti can all find 
themselves on top of a potato waffle.

> 
> Are they likely to be thin/standard waffles like frozen toaster
> waffles (do Brits have frozen toaster waffles, and does anyone eat
> them; 

Somebody may, but I don't remember ever seeing them here.
 
> or are they the inch thick fluffy sweet crispy Belgian waffles?

Belgian waffles, I have seen. Mostly in restaurants, but you can buy 
them (see above).

> 
> I would be eternally greatful to any Brits would could put pancakes
> and waffles into their proper social and culinary prepective for 
me.
> 

Hope that's some help.

Pip