Why we have Pancake Day
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Tradition
In the UK, there is a much-loved tradition of making and eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, which falls between February 2 and March 9, depending on the date for Easter. Shrove Tuesday (‘shrove‘ stems from old English word ‘shrive‘, meaning ‘confess all sins’) is the day before Lent – which means ‘spring’. According to Christian beliefs, Lent commemorates Jesus’s 40 days in the wilderness, and observant Christians mark this period by fasting.
Pancakes use up the ingredients that used to be given up for Lent – milk, butter and, particularly, eggs – which may not be eaten again until Easter. Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, is a solemn occasion which reminds people that we all return to ashes.
Customs and celebrations
In other parts of the world, Shrove Tuesday is marked by quite different celebrations. Why not write and tell us about yours? Why not send us a Wiki with your recipes for pancakes?
Pancake races and tossing the pancakes are two traditions that have stayed with us. One popular event is a "pancake race" in which each participant carries a pancake in a frying pan. All runners must toss their pancakes as they run and catch them in the frying pan. This event is said to have originated in the town of Olney, in England in 1444 when a housewife was still busy frying pancakes to eat before the Lenten fast when she heard the bells of St Peter and St Paul’s Church calling her to the Shriving Service. Eager to get to church, she ran out of her house still holding the frying pan complete with pancake, and still wearing her apron and headscarf!
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