What is Candlemas?

The origin of Candlemas

The Candlemas, « Chandeleur » in French,

is a Christian festival celebrated every February 2nd,

40 days after Christmas.

It commemorates the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem

and the purification of his mother, the Blessed Virgin.

It is for the faithful to celebrate the fact that « Jesus is light »,

as well as the purity of the Virgin Mary.

Candlemas in popular culture: pancakes

According to the tradition of Candlemas,

pancakes will symbolize the return of the sun after the long nights of winter.

Indeed, at the beginning of February, the star rises earlier

and earlier in the east and sets more and more late to the west

(the duration of the day is extended by 3 minutes per day ).

The consumption of pancakes would therefore be a tribute

to the rebirth of nature, the cycle of seasons and more precisely the coming spring.

The pancake tradition

In the tradition, the pancakes are blown up with the right hand holding a coin of gold or coin in the left hand.

The goal is to make the pancake land in the pan.

On Candlemas, all candles in the house must be lit.

Pancake recipe

Ingredients:

300 g of flour

3 whole eggs

3 table spoons sugar

2 table spoons of oil

50 g melted butter

60 cl of milk

Preparation:

1. Put the flour in a bowl and form a well.

2. Add the eggs, sugar, oil and butter.

3. Mix gently, adding milk as you go… 

the dough should be liquid, slightly thick and without lumps.

4.  Heat a skillet and add some oil

Our tip? Wrap a sheet of paper around a fork and tie it with a kitchen wire …

this prevents the pan is too fat!

Pour a small ladle of dough, divide it in the pan

and wait for it to be cooked on one side before turning it over …

Our tip? When the pancake begins to bubble and the edges come off the pan,

it’s time to return!

There is also a delicious appetizer pancake recipe
to make with the leftover pancakes on our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/learn.french.with.fun/

Now you have the answer to your question : What is Candlemas ?

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