THIS year, more than any other, I have been tempted to throw a pancake party. In these chastened economic times, the idea of giving something up, enduring 40 days of abstinence, really appeals.
What better time than Shrove Tuesday this week, the last day before Lent. Pancakes are eaten on this day because they contain fat, butter and eggs, which traditionally are forbidden during Lent and so need to be used up. Imagine giving those up now?
One of the upsides, of course, is that pancakes cost relatively little, so you can feed an army of hungry mouths on even the tiniest of credit-crunch budgets.
But what does one serve to drink with pancakes? To find out, I picked the brains of one of Scotland's most distinguished food and wine matching experts, Michael Romer, proprietor of Peter Green & Co, in Edinburgh's Marchmont. Romer, when not enthusing over the delights of Romanian pinot noir, can be found scouring medieval cook books for ever more exotic food-and-wine combinations.
Wine has the same effect on food as a spice does. Acids, tannins and sugars all interact with food to provide different taste sensations. Match these with the right dish and the transformation can be incredible, bringing out the nuances of the ingredients and enhancing the flavours of both the food and the wine.
Romer believes the right accompaniment to pancakes will depend on how they are made, and when and where they are eaten. "The simplest recipe uses eggs, flour, milk and salt, the same sort of batter as used for Yorkshire pudding," he says. "Serve with lemon juice and white sugar.
"In Scotland, oatmeal would often be used – as indicated in a recipe from The Scots Kitchen, by F Marian McNeill. Some people like to add a spirit, such as brandy. Elisabeth Luard, in her book Sacred Food, gives a Caribbean version, with rum and lime juice."
Luard also points out that when we have pancakes, the Russians have blinis, the Germans doughnuts and the French beignets. The Russians eat their blinis with butter, and vary the accompaniment from caviar to smoked herring, according to pocket and pleasure. The drink is vodka, which works just as Danish akvavit with fish dishes.
"Perhaps experiment with matching pancakes and the delicacy of a Lowland malt such as Glenkinchie," says Michael. Another option is to serve cider, which suggests that the apple taste of the malic acid in German wines will also go well. In this vein, a delicate, light wine from the Mosel will pair well with the residual sugar adapted to the recipe. Prosecco's delicate, grapey sweetness also lends itself to pancakes. Rocco Venezia's Rustico (£8.50) is a case in point, with its delicate nose and soft, peachy aroma.
But Shrove Tuesday is not all about lemon and sugar. There are all sorts of savoury options, from salmon and dill to cheese and ham, that will satisfy those with a less sweet tooth.
I like to serve a light red wine from one of Beaujolais's villages. Fleurie has an unctuous, perfumed, silky style; Juliénas offers more fleshy, masculine, spicy wines. Moulin-à-Vent is perhaps the most distinguished of the villages, with its wine showing enormous power and ageing potential. Closest to this is perhaps Chénas, which has full and generous wines.
Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora, Victoria, Australia, 37.5cl, 9.5%, £6.49
A chilled glass served with a lemon-and-sugar pancake is a heavenly combination. This has real concentration, with a powerful, zippy, orange and sweet mandarin flavour.
2007 Bouchard Père et Fils, Fleurie, Beaujolais, Burgundy, France, 75cl, 12.5%, £9.50
This is one for the savoury pancake, and whether you're having melted ham and cheese or bacon and chives, this juicy Beaujolais is packed with ripe summer fruits and will not overpower the pancake's soft texture.
Rocco Venezia Extra Dry, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Italy, 75cl, 11.5%, £13
The delicate floral notes with traces of pears, apples, peaches and cherries will go perfectly with pancakes filled with summer fruits.
Stockists: Peter Green (0131 229 5925); Rocco Venezia (0870 803 4914, www.roccovenezia.com); Harvey Nichols (www.harveynichols.com); Sainsbury's; Tesco; Waitrose
