Today is Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday, notable because it is the last day before the beginning of Lent. Lent is traditionally a period of fasting and meditation, which was once proscribed by church rules. Homes must be rid of forbidden foods, like sugar, flour, alcohol, and fats. The best way to get rid of those indulgent ingredients is to consume them, which is why this Tuesday is fat!
In many places, including Britain, Shrove Tuesday is Pancake Day. British immigrant Laurence Brown of Lost in the Pond tells us how Pancake Day is special in Britain, whereas in America we don't need an excuse to eat pancakes. But British pancakes are a little different, more like crepes with sugar and lemon juice on them, and we get to see them being made in this video.