Why’s this the day for pancakes?

PANCAKE DAY IS FLIPPING BRILLIANT

It’s that day when we fill our faces using a recipe that goes back several hundred years. Here we look into its history

TODAY is Shrove Tuesday, a time to ditch the diet and gorge on pancakes with impunity.

There’s no need for an excuse to eat pancakes but as you stuff your face, here are a few facts about this tradition.

WHY DO WE HAVE PANCAKE DAY?

For Christians, Shrove Tuesday marks the last day before Lent, traditionally a period of abstinence, associated with clearing your cupboards of goods such as sugar, fats and eggs.

Traditionally, pancakes were eaten on this day to use up these foods before the 40-day fasting season of Lent began.

Christians would go to confession, where they would admit their sins to a priest and ask for absolution.

A bell would be rung to call them to confession, which was called the “pancake bell”. It’s still rung today.

But the tradition is no longer Christian and greedy guts of all faiths and none are happy to tuck in.

WHY PANCAKES?

Using up the ingredients for pancakes could have pagan roots.

Christians say each ingredient represents one of the four pillars of the faith. For pagans, eating warm, round pancakes – symbolising the sun – may have been a way of celebrating the arrival of spring.

Eggs for creation, flour as sustenance or the staff of life, salt for wholesomeness and milk for purity.

The pancake features in cook books as far back as 1439 and the idea of tossing them is almost as old.

“And every man and maide doe take their turne, And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne.” (Pasquil’s Palin, 1619).

WHERE?

Pancake day is celebrated across the globe and in France, the US and other countries it is called “Mardi Gras” or “Fat Tuesday”.

In Wales, pancakes are known as crempog. In Ireland, they are referred to as griddle cakes or boxty, if made with potato.

French crêpes and Italian crespelle are not unlike each other. Both are ultra-thin, light pancakes and feature heavily in both cuisines as savoury and sweet dishes.

HOW TO CELEBRATE?

Across the UK, pancake races take place on Shrove Tuesday.

It involves a large number of people, often in fancy dress, racing down streets tossing pancakes. The idea is to get to the finish line first while carrying a frying pan and flipping the pancake without dropping it.

Each contestant has to toss the pancake three times during the race. The first woman to get to the church, complete the course, serve the pancake to the bellringer and kiss him is the winner.

It’s believed this tradition originated in 1445, when a woman lost track of time while making pancakes on Pancake Day.

As she heard the church bell ring, calling for the community to head to confession, she ran out of her house to make her way to church, all the while still holding her frying pan with the pancake on top.

HOW TO EAT THEM

There is no right or wrong way. You can have them with a variety of sweet or savoury toppings including lemon, sugar, honey, jam, fruit, syrup, chocolate chips, or even meat.