Photo:  Racool_studio taken from link 

The Polish equivalent of Fat Thursday in England is Shrove Tuesday. In Poland we eat donuts, Berliner doughnuts also known as Berliner Pfannkuchen, while in England it is a pancake day. Donuts versus pancakes, both symbolize the beginning of Lent, which do you prefer? This year, Fat Thursday in Poland will be on Thursday, February 8. English Shrove Tuesday will be on Tuesday, February 13. 

🍩 Traditions in Poland 

What donuts do you like the most? With marmalade, chocolate or pudding? People say that there is no diet on Fat Thursday.  In Poland, the tradition appeared in the 16th century. A fat day was the beginning of a fat week. It was a time of fun and fatty food. Everyone wanted to eat their fill before the long, 40-day fast, which was strictly observed.  Donuts and  angel wings/crullers (faworki) are popular in every Polish home. Everyone should eat a donut that day. 

Photo: sprawdzonakuchnia taken from link

🍩 Traditions in England 

English Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Tuesday. The pancakes are fried and then you spread jam or pour some syrup on them – preferably Canadian natural maple syrup. Pancakes are also fun. Did you know that even  pancake races are organized?

Shrove Tuesday is also a sports day which allows you to burn pancake calories. In Ashbourne in central England, Derbyshire, the biggest and longest football match in the world begins. It lasts 2 days and the number of players reaches thousands.   According to the old tradition, the first pancake belongs to the hens. 

Photo: wszystkiegosłodkiego taken from link

🍩 Vocabulary:

• Shrove Tuesday – Tłusty Wtorek (angielski odpowiednik Tłustego Czwartku w Polsce) 
• equivalent – odpowiednik 
• to appear – pojawić się 
• a century – wiek 
• to eat your fill –  najeść się do syta 
• fried – smażony 
• poured – nalany, polany 
• preferably – raczej, chętniej 
• maple syrup – syrop klonowy 

🍩 2023/2024 © Natalia Wojciechowska, 1 rok, Pedagogika,  Akademia Nauk Stosowanych w Koninie