it's laskiaistiistai, ie. pancake day! in finland it's a tradition to go sledding downhill: the farther you slide, the longer the flax / linen fibres will be come harvest. that's what the greeting in the picture is about. i don't grow flax myself, so i was really hoping for healthy hemp instead... women would also keep their hair open and comb it often to encourage shiny, good quality fibre.
no pea soup today, because i forgot to soak the dried legumes overnight, but i made up for it by making chickpea pancakes with gram flour. it's the easiest recipe in the world, just about 140 gr chickpea flour, a cup of water (2½ dl) and salt and spices to taste. it's not too exact. whisk it all up and fry on a hot pan (i use a coated non-stick one, no oil after the first cake) until the top has set, then flip over and cook to golden colour. they go with both savoury and sweet toppings. honey and cinnamon is my current fave. they make good quesadillas also. this batch yields about eight small or four large pancakes.
i'm also snacking on chocolate and pecan nuts in an attempt to cover the eating fatty foods aspect of today. and even though lent and fasting is not a big deal for us, i'm considering giving up the choc until easter. it kind of makes sense because then the chocolate eggs would really be a treat. but a big part of me is screaming: "no! it makes no sense at all! don't do it!" which, i suppose, is all the more reason to try...
