Today is Mardi Gras, and Shrove Tuesday, and Pancake Day – all to celebrate the last day before Lent. Pancakes became associated with this day because people would empty their pantry of all sugar, fats, and eggs before the start of Lent. These ingredients were then put to good use by making and eating large batches of pancakes.
On Pancake Day, pancake races are held in villages and towns all across the United Kingdom. Participants run through the streets tossing pancakes into the air and catching them in a frying pan. The tradition supposedly started in 1445, when a housewife from Olney, Buckinghamshire, was so busy making pancakes that she lost track of time. When she heard the church bells ringing for the service, she ran out of the house, frying pan in hand, tossing the pancake to prevent it from burning. Since 1950, the people of Liberal, Kansas, and Olney have competed in “International Pancake Day”. Competitors from each town race along an agreed upon course and the times are compared to determine a winner. As of 2021, Liberal has won 38 times to Olney’s 31.
According to food historians, the earliest pancake-like dish was made by Romans in the 1st century CE. In 15th century England, they were often flavored with rosewater, sherry, spices, and apples. In the American colonies, pancakes were known as flapjacks or johnnycakes. There were 2 recipes for pancakes in the first American cookbook, published in 1796.
The saying “flat as a pancake” has been used since at least 1611. In 2013, a group of geologists used polynomial equations to determine that Kansas was indeed flatter than a pancake. But 6 states are flatter – Florida, Illinois, North Dakota, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Delaware.
The most expensive pancake was created at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel’s Opus One restaurant in Manchester, England. It includes lobster, caviar, mussels, and a champagne hollandaise sauce, and will set you back $1,070. Learn more here.