Pancake Day in Britain

Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday in Britain. Pancake Day is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. “Shrove”- as in Shrove Tuesday- derived from old English “shrive”, means “confess all sins”. It is called Pancake Day because it is the day traditionally for eating pancakes as pancake recipes were way to use up any stocks of milk, butter and eggs which were forbidden during the abstinence of Lent. It is also the day of the year when almost everyone eats a pancake.

Pancake Day takes place 47 days before Ester Sunday. Because the date of Easter Sunday is dictated by the cycles of the moon, Pancake Day can occur anytime between February 3 and March 9. A pancake is a thin, flat cake made of milk, butter and eggs and fried in pan. Caster sugar (superfine sugar) is sprinkled over the top and a dash of fresh lemon juice added. The pancake is then rolled. Some people add golden syrup or jam.  

The earliest records of pancakes and pancake tossing appeared in the fifteenth century when the pancakes were a little thicker than the modern pancake. They would also often have added spices for a little decadence. It wasn’t until the eighteen century and the influence of French cooking and their thin crepes that pancakes more as we know them now.

In Ireland, Irish girls were given an afternoon off to make their batter and the eldest, unmarried girl would toss the first pancake. Success meant she would be married within the year.

In Scotland, special oatcakes called Bannocks were made using oatmeal, eggs and salt and cooked on a griddle. A charm would be added to the dough and if an unmarried person found it, would be married within the year.

Wales also had their own customs where people would pass from door to door begging for flour, lard or butter. In some parts of Wales children would kick tin cans up and down streets, believed to be a commemorate the putting away the pots and pans for Lent. Today, Pancake Races are popular event throughout the UK.