The tradition of eating at IHOP for Mardi Gras began when my two children were little and my husband worked evening shift. I was the only one of the three of us who actually fasted on Ash Wednesday, but we all enjoyed pancakes for Pancake Tuesday.
My husband switched to days, and the tradition continued (though I was still the only one fasting the next day). And when the children grew up and left home...I insisted that I still needed IHOP for Mardi Gras. After all, I still fast on Ash Wednesday. (Except for when it falls on my birthday...but I digress...)
Since hubby and I still aren't eating inside restaurants (dang you, COVID), I tried IHOP's newfangled order online service for pickup. We both ordered the 2x2x2 combo--his with plain pancakes, mine with Mexican Dulce Leche pancakes.
It all went according to plan. I placed the order, answered all the text messages, and hubby picked it up on the way home. Said it was easy, peasy, and the guy at the counter was really friendly.
He set the bags down on the dining room table and divvied up the containers, noting suspiciously that the pancakes didn't look much different. We took the lids off...and sure enough, not only did we both have plain pancakes, but he was missing one.
After a few disgruntled remarks about paying extra for the dulce leche I didn't receive, I offered hubby one of my pancakes, and he insisted on splitting it between us. He tried to make things better by saying I probably didn't "need" the extra sweetness, which I swiftly rebutted with the reminder that it was FAT Tuesday, and after all, I would be fasting the next day.
In the end, I soothed my ruffled feathers with a slice of microwave-warmed strawberry king cake, and chose to be happy with the otherwise perfectly good Mardi Gras dinner.
I love how you keep traditions going - I feel the same way now that my two are away in college. I would have wanted the sweetness too. I think you have a free coupon coming your way!
ReplyDeleteIsn't if funny how traditions find their ways into our homes? Once you start them, it doesn't feel right to let them go. What a fun and unique one for Fat Tuesday. Bummer that your order didn't come out right, but strawberry king cake sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lively exchange, despite the disappointment of the order not being right. It's hard to have your mind set on eating a thing and then having to settle for not having it...completely annoying...but those pancakes look delicious! Teh strawberry king cake sounds marvelous. My daughter-in-law, a baker with limited time now, her hands being full with our precious Baby Micah, made a king cake out of cinnamon rolls this year. It was fabulous. I am savoring the season alongside you, Chris.
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