Whether you call it mardi gras, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake day, for Malcolm Sawyers, it's his happiest day of the year.
The Willesden resident launched his company Plush Pancakes on pancake day 2019, after spotting a gap in the market for a mobile crepe stand.
The pancake lover - a former student at Glasdstone Park and Queen's Park Community School - was working by day in a Cricklewood gym with a sideline as a wedding DJ, when he noticed that there weren't many vendors serving crepes at the festivities.
So he bought a mobile cocktail bar from a friend and converted it to serve pancakes, learning to cook from YouTube videos, and taking his Food Safety qualification funded by the manager of a restaurant where he had a DJ residency.
He's now booked by the likes of Virgin, Amazon, and Netflix, for private parties, film shoots, and corporate events, setting up his stall either inside or outdoors.
Sweet favourites include the 'Chocolate combo' of Nutella, white chocolate and Biscoff crumbs, and savoury options include spicy chicken, cheddar and chili jam, or chili pesto and mozzarella.
He says: "As a Pancake enthusiast and owner of a mobile creperie Pancake Day is undoubtedly one of my favourite day of the year. It presents me with the perfect excuse for overindulging my favourite cuisine whilst also giving me the opportunity to share the food I love with the customers I serve.
"Also known as Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day is a traditional Christian feast day which marks the period before Lent, a 40-day season of fasting and prayer before Easter. As Pancake Day relates to Easter, which is based on the lunar calendar, it occurs on a different date each year. This year it's on February 13, and here are three tips to make it one to remember.
Crepes are thin pancakes originally from Brittany in France and can be sweet or savoury. Brits traditionally enjoy sweet crepes with lemon and granulated sugar. Conversely the French are renowned for adding eggs, cheese and ham to their savoury galettes, a variation of the pancake made from buckwheat flour.
At my business we also serve American Pancakes, which are thicker and fluffier, with maple syrup, bacon, and strawberries.
Remember, it’s socially acceptable to eat crepes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! While it’s common to eat sweet crepes at breakfast and for dessert, savoury crepes are also a popular choice for elevenses and supper. I’d encourage you to overconsume especially as Pancake Day only happens once a year. Concerned about the health implications of bingeing? Opt for healthy fillings like fruit and vegetables, and remember, crepes can also be vegan, and gluten-free.
Cooking pancakes is fun and relatively easy so get the children involved in what is also an educational experience. Tasks can be tailored to a child’s age, with washing fruit and vegetables left to the youngest, slightly older children tasked with chopping and measuring, while teenagers can add their own creative twists to recipes.
However, you decide to spend Pancake Day, I hope it’s memorable. Remember, it lasts only 24 hours so make the most of the chance to be creative and eat great food with friends and family."
American Pancakes
Ingredients:
180g of Self Raising Flour
3 Large Eggs
200 ml of Full Fat Milk
20g of salted Butter
½ teaspoon of Granulated Sugar
¼ teaspoon of Salt
½ tablespoon on Baking Powder
Sunflower Oil for cooking
Method:
Melt the butter in a microwave (using a microwave safe container, it doesn't matter if it's not totally melted) Whisk the butter together the eggs, milk and vanilla with a balloon whisk or electric hand beater until smooth, and pour into a jug.
Mix the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl, and make a well in the centre with the back of your spoon. Then add the egg/butter/milk/vanilla mixture and whisk together until your batter is smooth and all lumps have disappeared.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and grease lightly with vegetable oil. Add a ladle of your pancake batter. Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, then turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown.
Decorate your pancakes with fruits, chocolate chips or syrups and use these ingredients to create animal or fictional creatures. Let your imagination run wild and be as creative as possible!
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