Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Happy Mardis Gras, Everyone!




Have a good
Mardi Gras, everyone!

Eat with joy!

~ Cleo Coyle, author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries



To get more of my recipes, win free coffee,
or find out more about my books, visit me
 at my *virtual* coffeehouse:

 
Click on the book covers above
to learn more about Cleo's culinary mysteries.

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A final, quick note for our mystery reading fans.
The latest Mystery Readers Journal with the theme Hobbies, Crafts, and Special Interests is now available.


The issue, edited by Mystery Fanfare's Janet Rudolph, includes many mystery authors who have guest posted for us over the past year. You can check out the contents by clicking here, which will also give you info on how to purchase a copy (hard or electronic) for yourself.


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23 comments:

  1. The recipe looks absolutely delicious! Tried clicking the link for the printable pdf file, but couldn't find the link anywhere. Am I missing something, or is it really not there? Seriously want the recipe, but feeling way too lazy at the moment to retype the whole thing :)

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  2. I cannot open a pdf copy of the recipes.

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  3. Reply to Sammi and Amber...

    Try to click the link again. The issue should be fixed now -- and thank you very, very much for letting me know!

    Happy Mardi Gras!
    ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  4. Now I get to feel a little smug! I actually *did* know a little about this but only from a week ago when our church's youth program did a "Shrove Tuesday on Wednesday" pancake supper for the children. The teenagers of the church made pancakes for all the adults and kids...and although they were *wonderful*--they weren't nearly *this* spectacular! Looking forward to making these, Cleo. :)

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  5. This is interesting as the kids did the same thing this past Wednesday at church. All the kids made pancakes. Too bad they did not have this recipe it sounds delicious and I will be making these. I knew about this since I as little my mom always did pancake day and still does with my dad. Thanks for sharing Cleo looking forward to these.

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  6. I love the lore of "Pancake Tuesday'. We grew up with that tradition! It's still a tradition at my house too. I was planning on making lemon crepes tonight, but you have caused me to make a new plan, Cleo! Thanks for another batch of great recipes.

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  7. I grew up with Shrove Tuesday also. The memories are amazing and I have tried to pass that memory and tradition on but my children want none of it.

    Happy Mardi Gras!

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  8. That sauce recipe has my tastebuds all fired up.

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  9. My husband's birthday is Epiphany, so we always knew about the *real* 12 days of Christmas, but I didn't realize that was the beginning of the celebration that ended at Shrove Tuesday (we called it that, too).

    Today is also Paczki (poonch-key) Day - the day Polish folks enjoy jelly and other-filled doughnuts in preparation for the fasting to come.

    Wonderful post, Cleo! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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  10. Oh, my lord, I'm actually drooling. I have never seen such beautiful pancake pictures in all my life! I can't wait to make these sauces. Cleo, you devil! And what fun to learn about Fat Tuesday. Do you know there are diets now that make you eat fats before you start dieting so that your body knows to draw from that fat as you fast?

    ~Avery
    AveryAames.com

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  11. We also grew up with the tradition of Shrove Tuesday!!! I'm not sure how it began but we would put slice of hot dog in the batter...I know it sound gross but it is really really good !!

    My mom always added orange juice to both her pancake batter and her French Toast batter...so the idea of using orange juice as a topping is a terrific idea!

    Now perhaps instead of fish and chips on Friday I'll make these pancakes!!!

    THanks, Cleo :-)

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  12. Beautiful pancakes!! I love pancakes, pumpkin, spice, and everything nice...I had my pancakes with walnuts and maple syrup tonight....sigh....so tasty... these look fabulous!

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  13. That sauce looks and sounds fab-u-lous!! I really liked the tip about not melting the butter first because the butter may separate and the sauce may not thicken. I wouldn't have thought of that. Very interesting. It's things like that that unless someone has told you, how would you figure that out on your own? I never would! It makes me realize that there have probably been very good reasons for my baking/cooking failures in the past, I just didn't know them! :)

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  14. Cleo-

    Those pics are to die for! I am such a pancake nut -- this is just a perfect post for me. I can't wait to try these recipes!

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  15. I want to put this warm pecan sauce on EVERYTHING I eat for the next week! :D

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  16. Lovely pictures and awesome recipe!

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  17. Replies to...

    @Elizabeth – I’m so happy to hear that people are still celebrating Mardi Gras with the pancake tradition – and thanks a million for the kind words about the post.

    @Babs – Sweet to know! Thanks for restoring my faith in a foodie tradition of my childhood. :)

    @Mary Jane Maffini - Thank you, MJ. I’m thrilled to hear you also enjoy the old carbo-load tradition. And now, of course, my mouth is watering for your lemon crepes.

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  18. Replies to...

    @nickisnook.net – I know what you mean about kids, but they can surprise you, too. They sometimes grow into wanting to learn more about (and participate in) a tradition—sometimes too late for us to see it. We can only teach and hope…

    @Lil - Thanks for the kind words. Of course maple syrup is traditional, but I’m always on the lookout for pancake toppings, too. My theory – if it tastes good on ice cream, it will taste great on pancakes. :)

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  19. Replies to...

    @Julie – Ha! My husband, Marc, was the one who recalled Paczki Day, but he only heard the word and never saw it in print—until now! Thank you!He remembers the jelly doughnuts and ones filled with some kind of crushed nuts, too. Down the block from where he grew up, a Ukrainian church also served pierogies swimming in clarified butter. According to him, after that binge, everyone needed a good fast.

    @Avery - Thanks for the cheers. If only I could transfer the taste of those little round dough cakes of delight. (We need a “press here to taste” link!) That’s a fun fact about diets, which also tells me that those medieval folks who really did fast during the 46 days of Lent must have looked pretty fit by Easter morning —just in time for beach season. (Although I can’t picture Henry VIII in a Speedo, but then who would want to? :))

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  20. Reply to...

    @Nanc - At my husband’s elementary school, they celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a Mardi Gras weekend fun-raising bash that included hot dogs rolled up in non-sweetened pancakes. The school (run by German-American nuns) was also famous for its German style hot potato salad -- and the only sauerkraut my husband has ever liked.) BTW, Nanc, if you DO make the pancakes, send the fish and chips on over here!

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  21. Replies to...

    @Lo-Mo – Thank you! I love your “Little Kitchen on the Prairie" blog, and I noticed and admired your delicious vanilla-ricotta pancake recipe--and drooled, of course. Walnuts and maple syrup sound good to me, too. Great minds think alike, especially on Shrove Tuesday.

    @Christi – Aw, thank you for letting me know that! It means a lot to me that the recipe instructions are helpful. I know cooks sometimes cut corners or fudge things in a recipe, which is understandable. It’s certainly human nature to save time or make things easier. That’s why I always try to warn which corners in a recipe are cut-able and which will end up hurting the quality of the end product. I hope you have success with this one! Cheers!

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  22. Replies to...

    @Jenn – Pancakes are such a great food, aren’t they? *Almost* as good as cupcakes--and you would know! :)

    @Tiffany – Lol, I think that sauce *would* be good on just about everything but steak and a baked potato...then again...

    @thecoffeebreak – Aw, thank you, you’re very kind, and thanks for stopping by our Kitchen, too. Come on back anytime.

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  23. Those pancakes look fabulous! I didn't see the recipe until now, so I missed them for Mardi Gras, but who cares? I feel I'll have them for brunch this weekend :)

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