Shrove Tuesday was always the most memorable day of the year in our house for food. This was the day when my long-suffering mother would be assaulted by a tribe of eager helpers, all wanting to stir the pancake batter, fry the discs in the butter-rubbed pan, squeeze on the lemon juice and dust on the caster sugar. As children, we always ate our pancakes with that sour-sweet lemon and sugar flavouring, never wanting to try anything else for the day.
The subtleties of the whole business of pancakes didn't trouble us a jot. We didn't debate the difference between pancakes and crepes, didn't consider for an instant that you can make gorgeous savoury pancakes, and never wanted to spread sour cream and caviar on a delicate blini.
But there is a welter of complexity to the business of pancakes. A pancake is distinguished from a crepe, for example, as being thicker and more substantial, "playing the lead role rather than acting as a background for other ingredients", writes Anne Willan.
If you wish to get beyond our straightforward take on the sweet pancake, then stop off someday in Fermoy and try the Breton crepes made in La Bigoudenne restaurant. Here, they come with various fillings, such as fried egg, with Cashel Blue cheese, with salad and also in sweet varieties.
To customise your pancakes, take a lead from Kelly Spillane, who produces the marvellous Morley's fruit coulis and chocolate praline sauces which you can buy in shops and supermarkets.
Spillane suggests wrapping a scoop of ice cream inside your pancake then topping it with chocolate praline sauce and some chopped nuts. You could also drizzle their caramel sauce on to a warm pancake and top it with chopped fruits, or place some peach coulis on a warm pancake and top with thin slices of brie, which will melt in the heat.
Here are Anne Willan's Rules for Good Pancakes: leaving batter to stand helps lightness. Batter for small pancakes should fall easily from the spoon, and, for larger ones, should pour easily. A heavy pan or griddle is important for even heat. Always fry a trial pancake before adjusting the batter - a thick batter is easy to thin with liquid but adding flour to thicken is more complicated. At the same time, taste the flavouring of your pancake. Small even bubbles bursting on the top indicate a pancake is ready to flip: if the heat of the pan is right, the underside will be an appetising golden brown.
Unlike crepes, pancakes don't keep well and are best eaten at once, while fluffy and warm.
For something completely different, try these pea pancakes, an idea from the super chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. They are a sublime accompaniment to soups and braised dishes.
Pea pancakes
half pound fresh or frozen peas
1 egg plus one egg yolk
scant half cup of cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons butter
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Cook the peas in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and set aside. Combine the peas, egg, yolk, cream and flour in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Brown three tablespoons of butter and add to the egg mixture. Process to combine thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter in a medium saute pan. Use about one tablespoon of batter for each pancake. Cook on both sides until golden brown around the edges.