Pancake Day!

Call it Pancake day, or Shrove Tuesday. Pancake day is a traditional feast day before Ash Wednesday. It is celebrated in some of the countries by consumption and preparing pancakes. Pancake day always falls forty seven days prior to the Easter day or Easter Sunday. The date of the feast may vary from year to year. It falls between 3rd February and 9th March. In 2019, pancake day or Shrove Tuesday was on 5th of March. In 2020, it will fall on 25th February.

What is a pancake?

A pancake is a kind of flat and thin cake. It is made of batter and is fried in a frying pan. The batter of the pancake is primarily made of egg, flour and milk. A traditional pancake is very thin. The toppings of the pancake are usually lemon juice or golden syrup. Even caster sugar is a usual topping for a pancake.

The ingredients of pancake symbolises four significant points. The eggs signifies the creation. Flour tells the wholesomeness of life. Salt signifies the spark of life and the milk is for purity.

How they celebrate the feast?

On this day, people not only just eat pancakes they participate in the famous pancake race. Pancake race forms a very important part of the celebration. It is an opportunity for large number of people. They have to race down the streets tossing pancakes. The goal is to reach the finishing line first, carrying the frying pan with a cooked pancake and flipping the pancake while running.

The most popular pancake race is held at Olney in Buckinghamshire. The competitors of this pancake race should be local housewives and they are required to wear a hat or a scarf and an apron. Each contestant has a frying pan and a hot pancake. She has to toss the pancake thrice during the race. The woman who drops the pancake is not allowed to continue the race. So they have to be really very careful while tossing the pancake. The first woman who reaches the church and serves the pancake to the bell ringer and be kissed by him, will be the winner. This is the unique part of this celebration.

This day is celebrated in many countries such as United Kingdom and London. All the countries celebrating pancake day have anyhow managed to hold the traditional day. And it is interesting to know about such days.