//oh yes, and in Germany women go round cutting off men's ties. Goodness knows what that's all about//
Altweiberfastnacht is what it's called, ties are cut off as an, err, symbolic gesture to demasculate men! OH lost no end of ties, he usually wore his oldest and most hideous though he once lost a beautiful silk one. Oddly enough there isn't an equivalent ceremony for the women, no great surprise there.
As far as pancakes go, I have seafood pancakes in a cheese sauce in the oven.