Pancake day this year was celebrated on the 21st February 2023!

The date can change year-to- year as it is calculated by the lunar calendar. It is believed that Pancake Day was originally celebrated by early Slavic communities where pancakes were symbolic of the sun, and because of this, eating pancakes was a way of harnessing the sun’s power.

Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Tuesday, it is a holiday that is now traditionally celebrated on the Tuesday before the start of the Christian season of Lent. Lent is a period of fasting and abstinence leading up to Easter, and Shrove Tuesday is a day of feasting and celebration before the start of this somber season.

In many countries, it is traditional to eat pancakes on this day, often with sweet or savoury toppings such as lemon and sugar, honey, Nutella, or bacon and maple syrup.

In some countries, pancake races are also held, where participants run while flipping pancakes in a frying pan. The market town of Olney in Buckinghamshire, The United Kingdom, claims to hold the oldest annual pancake race in the world, dating back to 1445 where they still host a traditional ladies-only race each year.

The origins of Pancake Day can be traced back to medieval times when it was a way for people to use up ingredients such as eggs, milk, and sugar before the start of Lent, when these items were traditionally avoided. The name “Shrove Tuesday”, comes from the word “shrive”, meaning to confess for one’s sins. It was a day when people would go to confession before Lent.

Today, Pancake Day is celebrated by people of many different faiths and backgrounds, and is enjoyed as a fun and tasty way to mark the end of winter and welcome the beginning of spring.

Here is a simple dairy-free pancake recipe for anybody continuing the pancake celebration:

Ingredients:

● 240 grams of plain white flour

● 2 tablespoons sugar

● 2 teaspoons baking powder

● 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

● 1/2 teaspoon salt

● 240ml non-dairy milk

● 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

● 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit for around 5 minutes.

3. Add oil to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

5. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. When the pan is heated, pour some batter for each pancake.

6. Cook until the edges begin to dry and the surface is covered in bubbles, then flip the pancake and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until both sides are golden brown. 7

. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan lightly between each batch.

You can then serve the pancakes with your favorite toppings!