Ita (your name is capped against my will - I'm on the blackberry which is correcting me despitew myself) it's not Fat Tuesday in England. It is Shrove Tuesday, instead.

Damnably slow thumbs.

Now that the wikipedia entry has been corrected, I read the page on Fat Thursday, and the last part, about the Greek version, made me giggle and giggle:

Fat Thursday (Polish T?usty czwartek, German Fetter Donnerstag or Schmutziger Donnerstag) is a traditional Polish and German feast marking the last Thursday before Lent. Because Lent is a time of fasting, the next opportunity to feast would not be until Easter. It is similar to, but should not be confused with, the French festival of Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"). Traditionally it is a day of gluttony and belly-worship, when people meet in their homes or cafés with their friends and relatives and eat large quantities of sweets, cakes and other meals forbidden during Lent. Among the most popular all-national dishes served on that day are p?czki or berliner, fist-sized donuts filled with rose marmalade, and faworki, French dough fingers served with lots of powdered sugar.

In Italy, Giovedì Grasso (Fat Thursday) is celebrated, too, but is not very different from Martedì Grasso (Fat Tuesday). It is also similar to the Greek custom of Tsiknopempti (loosely translatable as "Barbecue Thursday"), which involves the massive consumption of barbecued meat.

I can't explain why "Barbecue Thursday" strikes me as so funny, but there it is.

Also -- "belly worship"? Heh.

And finally, am I wrong, or does Schmutziger Donnerstag translate to "Dirty Thursday"? Heh. Dirty Thursday.

According to that foodie site's paczki thread (yes, they have their own thread), the Thursday before Ash Wednesday is called what Steph said upthread, which translates to "Fat Thursday." Today, Fat Tuesday according to other cultures, is called "Ostatki"--meaning the last day you can feast before Lent.

Collop Monday? What the hell is THAT?

We always called it Shrove Tuesday and had pancakes for dinner in my Irish American household.

I had 1/2 a bowl of oatmeal and one cup of coffee so far today. Which is already way more meal like than anything I had yesterday. Yesterday was gingerale, water, some saltines, and a little applesauce thanks to baby-transmitted (I'm pretty sure) stomach virus. woo. And nobody was around to fetch me the saltines and gingerale so I had to walk up to the Royal Farms and get it myself once I was steady enough on my feet. I've possibly never felt sorrier for myself.

I might could manage pancakes later if I can figure out where to get them. I'm not up for making them myself.

Collop Monday? What the hell is THAT?

That's Lundi Gras. Fat Monday, as it were.

In England, it's a nickname because they traditionally have collops with their breakfast.

Whatever the hell collops are.

Collop Monday - Shrove Monday

Named after the traditional dish of the day: collops of bacon served with eggs. In addition to providing little meat, the collops were also the source of the fat for the following day's pancakes.

I think I like the Brit tradition of Shrove Tuesday - pancakes for supper tonight, maybe.

That's what I was talking about! points upthread

So, yeah, we do the pancake for dinner thing on evey Shrove Tuesday. Not because we are particularly religious. Just because we like pancakes.

Oh, lisah. The stomach woes are of the suck. And the blow.

Damn, I have a sinus migraine. Still, they're no the ones that send me screaming to the ER or the medicine cabinet. They don't usually last long enough. Hurt like a bitch, though.

In my Irish Catholic (maternal side) family, if St. Patrick's Day falls on a Lenten Friday, we have dispensation to eat our corned beef dinner. Too bad if the Pope doesn't agree.