Pancake Day 2021

 
15/02/2021

Where does Pancake Day come from?


Shrove Tuesday AKA Pancake Day is your perfect excuse to eat pancakes all day in the name of the annual holiday, but where does the famous day originate from?

 

Shrove Tuesday falls 47 days before Easter Sunday every year so the date changes, but it will always fall between February 3rd and March 9th, and is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

 

Lent begins on Wednesday, February 17 and is a time of “repentance, fasting and preparation” for the coming of Easter. Ash Wednesday occurs 46 days - 40 fasting days (not counting Sundays which are not fast days) before Easter Sunday.

 

How did pancakes become associated with Shrove Tuesday?


Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday for a simple reason: their ingredients. Lent, particularly when it was adhered to more widely and strictly, marked a time to eat simpler food, and give up things like sweet, rich and dairy ingredients. The day before the season started was therefore the ideal time to make pancakes as a means to use up leftover eggs, milk and sugar.

 

In French, the date is known as “Mardi Gras”, or “Fat Tuesday”, and the label has been adopted in other nations too, most notably the USA.

 

So, how do you make the perfect pancakes?


There are so many pancake recipes out there to ensure everyone can join in, egg free, gluten free, vegan or just an avid pancake eater. You can find some of the best ones on the web below:

 

Easy & Traditional:

Method - BBC Good Food

  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 300ml milk
  • 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, plus a little extra for frying

 

Eggless:

Method - All Recipes

  • 125g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 240ml milk
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • butter for frying

 

Gluten free:

Method – BBC Good Food

  • 125g gluten-free plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 250ml milk
  • butter, for frying

 

Vegan:

Method – Tasty

  • 125g flour
  • 2 tablespoons organic sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 240ml non-dairy milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

 

These are just a few of the hundreds of pancake recipes available so you can be assured there’s something for you. Don’t forget to add your toppings: go traditional with lemon and sugar, sweet with chocolate and fruit, or American with maple syrup and butter! 

 

Make sure to share your pancake creations with us!

 
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