With a rich history dating back hundreds of years, Pancake Day combines a delightful sense of celebration and fun with some deep and meaningful components.
A day dedicated to pancakes is something we can definitely get behind, but Pancake Day is more than just eggs, flour and milk. Here’s everything you need to know about Pancake Day, including when it is and why we have it.
When is Pancake Day?
This year, Pancake Day falls on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. The day always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday (a feast that is determined by the cycles of the moon), so the date changes slightly each year.
Why do we have Pancake Tuesday?
Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is always the day before Ash Wednesday on the Christian calendar. The word ‘shrove’ originates from the English word ‘shrive’, which is the act of confessing one’s sins and doing penance. Making pancakes is a tradition that was developed as a means of using up rich foods such as eggs, milk and sugar before the 40-days of fasting.
Why is it called Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday traditionally marks the first day of Lent—a 40-day period of fasting before Easter Sunday. It gets its name from the ashes that are created from burning palm leaf crosses from the previous year’s Palm Sunday.
What is Lent?
Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is the 40-day period before Easter in the Christian calendar. By observing Lent, Christians replicate the suffering and sacrifice Jesus Christ faced for 40 days in the desert. A lot of people use Lent to test their willpower, giving up chocolate, coffee or sweet treats before Easter.
Are Australians celebration pancake day?
Yes, many Australians make and share pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.
Classic pancake recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- Butter, for frying, plus extra, to serve
- Maple syrup, to serve
Method:
- Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla together in a jug. Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre. Add milk mixture. Whisk until just combined
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Grease pan with butter or spray with cooking oil. Using 1/4 cup mixture per pancake, cook 2 pancakes for 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on surface. Turn and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining mixture, greasing pan with butter or cooking oil between batches.
- Serve with maple syrup and extra butter.
