From MartijnN: The Tuesday Tomes Volume V

 Ah, pancakes! Or pannenkoeken as we say in Dutch. Last Friday was Candlemas, or Lichtmis in Dutch. In Belgium, at least in Flanders, that day is typically celebrated by eating pannenkoeken. It is the 40th day after Christmas in the Roman Catholic calendar, traditionally celebrated with a procession, after the churchgoers returned home with a lit candle. The religious aspect is not as prominent nowadays, but many Flemish families still eat pannekoeken. Sometimes they are also eaten on other occasions, but then usually as a desert, and more often in the shape of flensjes, small French-style crepes. Now I was brought up as a Dutch Roman Catholic (many people are surprised to learn that Roman Catholics are actually largest religious group in The Netherlands, although many Dutch nowadays are typically non-religious), and as far a  I know this tradition was not observed in The Netherlands. Pannekoeken themselves, however, are quite a thing in The Netherlands, more so than in Belgium. There are many Dutch restaurants specifying in pannekoeken, and you can get them in all sort of varieties. Traditionally they are served either plain, or with bacon, and smeared with stroop, treacle. But you can also get them with jam, apple, raisins, sugar, powdered sugar, sugar and cinnamon, or in savoury variants with all sorts of meat and vegetables. And with ice cream and whipped cream! Personally, I like the sweet variants most, but they are all good. My mother used to make us pancakes every Friday, I still often do. Dutch pancakes are larger and thicker than crepes, typically between 25-30 cm in diameter, and thinner than American-style pancakes. They are eaten as a main course, often the only one as they are quite filling!

This installment of the "Cuisine and Tradition In The Low Countries" Section over, it is time to look at what the Tuesday Troopers have in store for us. Ah well, we seem to be deep in the Challenge doldrums here. However, we can always count on PeterD and SimonM to pull us through!

- PeterD brings us "A Trip to Manila"

- SimonM has produced "Ben Facing the Law".

I am sure the rest of the crew are feverishly slaving away at their painting desks or quietly contemplating their next magnum opus. And who knows what the rest of this day may bring us? 

Enjoy!