What is Pancake Day and Why Do we Celebrate it?

It’s not often that you get an excuse to indulge in stacks of sweet treats in the name of tradition. Shrove Tuesday, commonly known as Pancake Day in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and Canada, is a Christian holiday celebrated all over the world – and this year, it falls on March 4th.

Forty Days Fasting

The day signals the start of Lent, or Ash Wednesday, when many Christians choose to fast during the forty days leading up to Easter. Traditionally, people were not allowed to eat any meat or dairy during this time, so Shrove Tuesday was the perfect time to use up remaining ingredients like eggs, milk, and butter. This usually meant one thing: pancakes.

We know that this is a longstanding tradition, with the first known recipe for Pancake Day dating from 1439. These days, instead of fasting, many people simply give up something for lent – whether it be chocolate, wine, or even pancakes, depending on how many they ate on Shrove Tuesday...

Pancakes in the UK and Ireland are a little different to their fluffy American counterparts. It can be tempting to compare them to French crêpes, but this isn’t totally accurate. While crêpes are ultra-thin and cooked on one side only, pancakes are usually smaller and slightly thicker – which makes them much easier to work with. Of course, this also means you’ll be faced with the dreaded pancake flip: the true test of bravery.

Why Shrove Tuesday?

The word ‘shrove’ comes from ‘to shrive’, meaning to confess your sins to a priest in the hopes of being forgiven. During the Middle Ages, every year the ‘shriving bell’ was rung to alert locals that it was time for confession, which led to some slightly strange customs in the UK.

Legend has it that the shriving bell once rang while a local woman in Olney was making pancakes. In such a hurry to confess, she ran to the church – pan in hand. Now that’s dedication.

This playful tale inspired the first recorded pancake race in 1445. The chaotic competition involves women – often in fancy dress – racing while flipping pancakes. The tradition continues today, the most famous being the Olney pancake race in Buckinghamshire, which has been held every year since 1948.

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While many people no longer fast, the tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday has endured – probably because they’re so delicious. Don’t believe us?

Scroll to the end for a simple pancake day recipe to try at home and join the festivities!

Fun Facts About Pancake Day

1) France's Lucky Flip

In France, it’s tradition to flip a pancake in your right hand while holding a gold coin in the other, which is said to bring good fortune.

2) Mardi Gras, or 'Fat Tuesday'

Instead of Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday, some countries celebrate Mardi Gras. This is the final day of Carnival, well-known for street parades and revelry, where attendees don colourful masks and costumes.

3) Russia's Pancake Festival

Russia celebrates a whole week of pancakes during a festival known as Maslenitsa, meaning ‘butter week’. Maslenitsa dates back to the Pagan era and is a time to welcome spring, bond with friends and family, and of course – eat pancakes.

4) Canada Hides Money in Their Pancakes

Some people in Canada hide small items in their pancake batter, all symbolising different things. Finding a coin, for example, will bring you riches (which you might need for the dentistry bills, if you’re not careful).

5) The Fluffiest Pancakes in Japan

Japan doesn’t celebrate Pancake Day, but they more than make up for it throughout the year. A classic Japanese snack is dorayaki, two small cake-like pancakes with a red bean paste or custard filling.

Japan is also famous for its ‘soufflé pancakes', ultra-thick, fluffy clouds of batter that jiggle with every movement.

6) The Fastest Flipper

In 2012, Australian chef Brad Jolly broke a world record by flipping a pancake 140 times in 60 seconds.

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Pancake Day Recipe

Pancakes are very simple to make. Below is an easy recipe that serves around 10 pancakes:

Basic Ingredients

• 100g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 200ml milk and 70ml water mixed
• A small pat of butter
• Pinch of salt

Toppings

• Classic: Lemon juice and sugar / golden syrup
• Sweet: Melted chocolate or Nutella and strawberries
• Savoury: Ham and cheese/ fried egg and bacon

Instructions

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a space in the centre.
2. Crack the eggs into the middle and start mixing, slowly and carefully incorporating the flour.
3. Gradually add the milk and water while whisking.
4. Once combined, whisk until smooth and there are no lumps.
5. Set to one side and melt the butter in a pan. Get the pan very hot before turning down the heat to medium.
6. Spoon in enough batter to coat about 2mm of the pan and tip the pan from side to side to evenly coat the base.
7. After about half a minute, once the bottom side is golden, you can turn over the pancake to cook the other side, just for a few seconds. If you’re feeling bold, it’s time to practise your flipping skills!
8. Serve either flat, folded in half, or rolled up with your preferred toppings.

Happy Pancake Day from Twin!

If you're hungry to learn more about culture and history, why not consider one of our English courses? Just like pancakes, you can never get enough!