With pancake day just around the corner, it’s time to dust off those frying pans and get ready for a day filled with flipping fun and mouthwatering food. But before we dive into the delectable world of pancakes, let’s take a moment to explore the history of Pancake Day! 

Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, marks the last day before the Christian season of Lent. It’s a day of indulgence and feasting, where families and friends come together to enjoy a celebration before Lent begins. The idea is to use up rich, indulgent foods like eggs, milk, and sugar – ingredients often restricted during Lent. And what better way to do that with a stack of pancakes? 

Pancake Day around the globe 

Whilst British Pancake Day is a well-loved tradition, variations of pancake celebrations are scattered across the globe. In Sweden, they celebrate “Fettisdagen”, with Semla Buns; in Russia, it’s “Maslenitsa”, a whole week of pancakes! In the US, Shrove Tuesday is celebrated as ‘Mardi-Gras’, meaning ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French. This is a day where fatty food is used up ahead of lent, although it has now become a huge carnival that is celebrated with street parties across the country. 

English Pancakes