Pancake Day

Why the World Celebrates International Pancake Day

The Pancake Day Feast

Flipping the pancake with a neat flick of the wrist, niftily maneuvering the pan with the right hand - is a scene thought of by both young and old on Pancake Day.

For many people worldwide, the passion of pancakes began with the old tradition of a day of pancake distinguished throughout the world beginning in England on Lent leading to Shrove Tuesday and now celebrated as Pancake Day. It is a day celebrated on different dates in different countries associating the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting in the Christian calendar.

Pancake Day, or "Shrove Tuesday", is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Since Lent is the time of abstinence, it is the time of giving things up, or using up foods that are not allowed during Lent. In an effort to use up all of the household's dairy products, fats and eggs, it became a routine to mix these ingredients altogether to make pancakes.

The Pancake Day Race

On Pancake Day, there is also a traditional activity known as the Olney Pancake Race. This started in the village of Olney in Buckinghamshire, England in 1445 with a woman and her actions. When she heard the shriving bell while she was making some pancakes, she didn't' want to be late for the church service so she ran all the way to the church in her apron and frying pan.

This old and amusing pancake race is now world famous and is a longed-for episode of Pancake Day Feast. Participants have to be local housewives wearing an apron, a hat or scarf carrying a frying pan containing a hot pancake. Competitors must toss the pancake three times during the long course before sprinting to the finish line. Even kids today can play the game for some fun.

Pancakes are splendidly charming and delicious. The experience of this round soft velvety piece of cake in a pan has been ongoing for many years, and when combined with the comfort of home cooking there goes the feeling of a special day. It is a day shared by children and parents everywhere when all forms of tasty pancakes are eaten. Even though rolled pancakes in butter and maple syrup can be totally appealing, pancakes do not need to be always thick, stodgy and smothered in syrup. With the many pancake cookbooks we have today, you can get ideas on how to make your own Pancake Day a sweet day not necessarily loaded with calories.

A lot of people compliment this tradition as a great way to present information about the Christian festivals which is very much needed in the world today. Thru this Pancake Day, many people who do not know about these festivals will put prominence on the beauty of conviction along with everyone's experience of faith, regular worship, or attending church on Sundays.


By Terry Retter