Fasnacht fantastic

Phew, finally caught up with my blog. We've been busy checking out the Fasnacht carnivals this year. Each one has it's own unique atmosphere and traits. Lucerne was a jaw dropping spectacle with what seemed like the entire city dressed up in a huge range of outlandish clothes. The parade featured warrior wild boars (not real) horses (real) and a few political gibs, mainly towards the new president of the US (in one case featuring something very unpleasant attached to his feet!)

A few days later we went to Bassersdorf, a local village nearby, which was different again, and featured music galore, with all the bands performing on the roundabout podium after the parade. We then finished with Winterthur on Sunday, always a favourite of ours, with splendid costumes and great performers.

The weather was beautiful this year and we enjoyed the sun on our backs while soaking up the carnival atmosphere. Enjoy the pics.

It's almost Fasnacht - time to party!

@SallyAnnEgerton (http://sallyegerton.blogspot.ch/)

There are a few shady looking characters popping up in windows and odd places around Winterthur. Manor has gone to town with half a floor devoted to fancy dress, wigs and oversized glasses. It can only mean one thing - the imminent arrival of Fasnacht.

The Swiss love their traditions and carnivals - and most of all they love dressing up and role playing. And this all comes together nowhere better than at Fasnacht. It is such great fun, the outfits are incredible - and sometimes rather scary - and all spectators are encouraged to dress up too.

@sallyannegerton

Many of the characters in the parade are mischevious, throwing confetti over people, stealing accessories out of their hair and I have even seen a few teenagers picked up, slung over a shoulder and buried in a wagon of confetti! It is all great fun – everyone has a ball and my girls absolutely love it. Best of all, it is my eldest daughter’s birthday at the end of February so it always feels like an extension of her own celebration.

Fasnacht officially begins in Winterthur with the Ham feast, kicking off a week long period of different, and sometimes rather surreal, events - including a three day and night party for those who can still party big time! But the highlight for us is the large carnival which takes place through the city centre from 2.15pm on Sunday, 5^th March. For more information and all other events surrounding Fasnacht in Winterthur, visit the website here.

And then of course if you can brave the crowds there is the mother of all Fasnacht carnivals in Basel, hailed as one of Europe's top 50 local festivals, taking place on the Monday after Ash Wednesday: Baseler Fasnacht.

(I've been having fun painting our favourite Fasnacht characters - I hope you enjoy them :)

Forget your sins and enjoy a pancake

I love pancake day. Any pancake day – and I often decide this special day on a whim as I’m thinking what to do my daughters when they come home for lunch on a Friday, or get up for breakfast at the weekend.

But today is the official Pancake (or Shrove) Tuesday so ‘c’est oblige’ as the French would say.

As most of us know, Shrove Tuesday is the day in February or March preceding Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) which is celebrated in some countries by consuming pancakes. In others it is called Mardi Gras – literally meaning Fat Tuesday – and is a carnival day and also the last day of ‘gorging’ before the fasting period of Lent. And of course there are also Switzerland's huge Fasnacht celebrations and carnival processions taking place across the country starting this week.

But did you know that Shrove Tuesday comes from the word shrive, meaning to 'absolve’ yourself from sin. It is observed by many Christians who make a point of self-examination, considering the wrongs they need to repent and what amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth they need to ask God's help in dealing with.

Not being religious, I think we need less of the self examination and considering the wrongs we have all done – jeez, we all feel guilty enough as it is! Let’s just make today’s Pancake Day the day to put it all behind us and look to the future with all its great things to come. I’d rather believe the idea that Pancake Tuesday was originally a pagan holiday in which the Slavs saw the change of seasons as a struggle between Jarilo (god of vegetation, fertility and springtime) and the evil spirits of cold and darkness. Pagans believed they had to help Jarilo fight against winter and bring in the spring. And the most important part of Maslenitsa week (the celebration of the arrival of spring lasted a week) was making and eating pancakes. The Slavs believed the hot, round pancakes symbolized the sun and that by eating them they got the power, light and warmth of the sun.

I certainly prefer the Pagan outlook. Bring on the pancakes and feel the power of the sun. Happy Pancake Day!

Tried and tested great pancake recipes

Easy Peasy Pancakes

1. Put 100g plain flour and pinch of salt into a bowl.
2. Make a well in the middle and crack in two eggs.
3. Slowly add 200ml milk bit by bit, making sure to whisk out any lumps as you go.
4. Put butter in frying pan until it is sizzling.
5. Add a ladle of batter, swirl around the pan and cook on both sides until golden.
6. Serve with a spoonful of sugar and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon and orange.

Nigella’s scrummy American style blueberry pancakes

1. Mix together 200g plain flour, 2 tblsp sugar, 3 tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt.
2. In another bowl mix 240ml milk, 2 eggs and ½ tsp vanilla extract. Combine the two mixtures and add 2 small ripe mashed bananas.
3. Put butter in frying pan until it is sizzling.
4. Add a spoonful of batter (these are much smaller than the traditional pancakes) and while it cooks, press 6 or 7 blueberries into the mixture, nicely spaced out. Flip and cook on the other side.
5. Serve with maple syrup.