Falling into a similar camp to Christmas and Easter, Pancake Day happens just once a year. When it rolls around we think it deserves to be celebrated properly, with as many treats and toppings as possible. There are of course unending ways for how to celebrate Pancake Day, but if you’re asking us it’s the perfect excuse to head out to one of the UK’s best restaurants and indulge in a stack of something sweet after dinner (or indeed for dinner).
The best thing about pancakes – we think – is that they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. From dinky Scotch pancakes through to layered up crepe cakes, there’s a pancake style suitable for any party. We’re not too proud to eat pancakes for starters, mains and desserts, because if something only happens once every 365 days, it’s worth celebrating properly, don’t you think? Kick things off with a savoury crepe or two before moving onto a galette filled with cheese and ham, then skip right on over to something sweet for pudding, like pancakes topped with Nutella, cream and bananas.
While the frivolities are all well and good, we can’t help but often wonder to ourselves what Shrove Tuesday actually means and where it came from. In order to ensure we were as prepared as possible this year, we’ve done a deep dive into the traditions surrounding Pancake Day below, including finding the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions that surround this traditional foodie celebration.
What is Shrove Tuesday and when is it?
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Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which falls on Tuesday the 21 February 2023 this year. While it's a widely-acknowledged day, Shrove Tuesday is celebrated differently around the globe. Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day, and it's a much-loved holiday by pancake lovers across the country. The name is a derivative of the word 'shrive', with the word shrove refering to the confession of sins that occurred just before Lent. Whilst this tradition has for the most part been resigned to historical status, many Christians worldwide still use the day for introspection and reflection and many think of Shrove Tuesday as a day for carnivals or for eating delicious pancakes as a way to prepare for Lent.
What is Lent?
Lent is a period of 40 days and 40 nights where Christians tend to choose to sacrifice something. Images of a chocolate-less few weeks fill our heads, but historically it was a date to fast from food products like meat, fish, fats, eggs, and dairy. But why do we do it? In the Bible, people were taught about Jesus's time in the desert, fasting and praying, and resisting temptation from the Devil to prepare for working for God. As a way of testing self-discipline, Christians spend the same amount of time sacrificing something of their own, which is what we call Lent.
Why do we eat pancakes on Pancake Day?
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You may be asking yourself why pancakes are eaten on a day that historically had such religious significance? Thinking of the ingredients we use to make a pancake (eggs, butter, milk), they’re all high-fat ingredients with an expiration date. As Pancake Day falls just before Lent, what better way to use up your food than to enjoy a day of pancakes before you fast for the next six weeks?
Shrove Tuesday traditions
Fasting from food is one thing; however, Lent also signifies a fast from celebrating. Pancakes may satisfy the pantry clear-out but not the need for festivities before a more sombre period. Maybe that's why each year we see pancake races across the country. They say that the tradition started in Olney, Buckinghamshire, where a lady making her pancakes in her kitchen was lost in her own world, time running away from her. Hearing the church bells ringing, she ran from her home through the town, still in her apron, pancake pan in her hand. And thus became the tradition of pancake races, occurring each year and enjoyed both by children, and our members of parliament who race against journalists each year to raise money for charity.
Where do pancakes come from?
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Turns out pancakes aren't a modern invention. We can find a recipe for pancakes in Gervase Markham's book 'The English Huswife', which dates from 1615. Slightly thicker than the French crêpe, the English pancake stands as its own dish that has delighted the nation for many centuries. The ingredients can be seen as symbols for lent, with eggs representing creation, flour symbolising the staff of life, and milk as purity. Whilst we might have dropped the sweet spices that Markham's recipe calls for, the classic topping of lemon and sugar remains the most popular combination that we sprinkle on top, although maybe a chocolate sauce might prove a worthy rival.
How do you make the perfect pancake?
We make them every year, yet the first pancake always comes out rubbish! Here's a video by Gordon Ramsay, showing us how he makes his pancakes extra unique in 3 different ways.
How do you celebrate Pancake Day?
To celebrate pancake day you only really need one thing: Pancakes. While you can of course make them yourself, you could also head out and let someone do the hard work for you at a restaurant, cafe or cart. Traditional pancakes may be delicious, but we all could use a little excitement in our kitchen every now and again, so this pancake day (if you do decide to make your own), why not mix it up a little and try a different type of pancake from across the globe? Here are some of our favourites.
Kaiserscharrn
An 'emperor's mess' certainly doesn't sound appealing, but maybe Austria's Kaiserscharrn will convince you otherwise. The eggs whites for this mix are beaten before being stirred into the batter, and these fluffy pancakes can be found filled with boozy rum-soaked raisins before being fried, split up into bite-sized pieces, and dusted in icing sugar. Absolutely delicious.
Chinese Scallion Pancake
Sweet tooth escaping you? Why not try a Chinese scallion pancake, also known as a Bing? Crusty and crispy on the outside, this flaky wheat-based pancake can be dipped in soy sauce and enjoyed as a savoury treat.
Bedhrir
Whilst you might not think that a pancake and a crumpet have much in common, a Bedhrir from Morocco proves it's a match made in heaven. This is a yeasted, semolina or wheat-based pancake that's riddled in tiny holes, it's absolutely perfect for soaking up the honey-butter mixture they're typically dipped into.
Dutch Baby
Heading over to America, we see the German community in Pennsylvania's delightfully sweet version of a pancake called a Dutch Baby. It may look like a Yorkshire pudding, but there's nothing savoury about this sweet treat.
However you're celebrating Pancake Day this year, we hope it's a delicious one. Maybe check out our list of Best Pancakes in London to take the celebrations to the next level