March 5th brings us to Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday—and also also known as Pancake Tuesday. Whatever your spiritual orientation, the age-old tradition of whipping up batches of pancakes just before the start of Lent gives you a chance to fill kids in on some cultural history. (Summary: Pancake Tuesday is a major deal in Britain, Ireland, and many Commonwealth nations; The Independent has more.)
More to the point, it gives you an excuse to make PANCAKES FOR DINNER. This is rarely a terrible idea, so why not embrace it on the one day when history gives you an additional mandate? To help, below are five of our favorite recipes.