Round, hot, crispy and appetizing pancakes are almost the main symbol of Maslenitsa, along with festivities, a scarecrow and snow fun. There are many recipes for this hearty delicacy, as well as traditions, superstitions, and will be accepted. What are the customs associated with pancakes? How to serve them to the table, and is it possible to guess with them about the betrothed?
Pancakes are believed to be able to bring happiness and well-being to a home. It was not for nothing that in the old days the hostesses baked them according to special recipes, whispering the dough in a whisper. There was even a sign that one should keep one's secret recipe for pancakes for Shrovetide, otherwise you would lose all your luck. Nowadays, pancakes are baked in milk, water, and kefir, with or without eggs, adding butter, starch, even cocoa powder. However, the belief in omens has not gone away, and the traditions are carefully passed on by the hostesses from generation to generation.
Pancake Traditions
Many people associate Shrovetide with pancakes - lush, hot, thick or translucent, perforated. Hostesses serve them with various fillings - jam, berries, honey, sweet cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, meat. Some wrap fish, caviar, green onions inside, others like to dip pancakes in condensed milk, jam, melted butter. A popular saying says that the more pancakes are baked for Shrovetide, the more prosperity and happiness there will be in the house.
Here are some more ancient rituals and traditions associated with mouth-watering pancakes:
- The first pancake was never eaten, it was intended for the souls of deceased relatives. He was left on the windowsill for commemoration of relatives, given to beggars passing by the house or fed to birds. The latter was not eaten either - on Forgiveness Sunday they put a stuffed animal in a belt, in a pocket or hand, and burned it on a festive fire.
- Previously, the girls wondered for the coming year, having gathered in a large company. Each pancake was wrapped with different types of fillings - sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, salty, in some they placed beans or a coin. The pancake envelopes were laid out on a large tray, picked out blindfolded one at a time. What filling will come across - and this will be the whole year. Sour - to trouble, salty - to tears, sweet - to a good life, spicy - to adventure, fresh - unchanged. A bean or a coin promised prosperity and prosperity.
- They ate pancakes only with their hands, or whole, or tearing them into pieces. It was believed that if you pierce a treat with a fork or knife, you can attract big trouble.
- If there was a rooster on the farm, they wondered with him for a good or bad year. They threw a pancake to the feathery, looked what would happen. If the rooster pecked it completely, the year promised to be hungry, unsuccessful. If he pecked a little or did not touch at all, they expected family well-being and prosperity.
"Pancake" signs for Shrovetide
There were a great many signs associated with baking and eating pancakes in the old days. The household members checked whether the first pancake had burnt, whether it had stuck to the pan, which was the size it turned out to be. It depended on interpretations whether the year would be happy and successful for everyone.
Here are some well-known Pancake signs:
- If the first pancake comes out ruddy, does not stick to the pan, the girl will get married this year.
- If the edges of the pancakes are even, then life will be calm, and if they are torn, burnt, expect troubles in the family.
- There will be as many children in the family as there are large holes on the pancake.
- If the first pancake is badly burnt on the young daughter-in-law, the husband will take a walk on the side. If it is evenly browned from the center to the edges, the union will be strong.
- If a crowd of people unexpectedly came to visit on Shrovetide week, you cannot be greedy. It is necessary to feed everyone with pancakes "with fervor, with heat", then prosperity will come to the house.
- In the old days, it was believed that if there were peas on Wednesday and pancake delicacies on Thursday, the whole year would be monetary and profitable.
- If a young woman's pancake is easily turned over, she will get married this year, and if it stuck to the pan, she will be cuckolding at home for another three years.
- Young spouses, expecting a baby or dreaming of a child, treated the first passer-by with pancakes on Sunday. What gender will be the first comer, this gender and the child will be born.
They wondered at Maslenitsa girls and their betrothed. Gathered together, baked pancakes with different fillings. Wrapped inside honey, hot mustard, red caviar, sweet raspberry jam, condensed milk. Then they called a random assistant, asked each to distribute one pancake envelope. After checking the filling. Who has honey - an early wedding awaits, mustard - separation from a sweetheart, raspberries - passionate love, milk - the birth of a baby, caviar - financial well-being, but without love.
