Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, is a traditional day of feasting before the 40 days of Lent begins. Historically, Lent is a time of fasting in remembrance of Jesus spending 40 days and 40 nights in the Judaean Desert. And, it is because of this fast why we now have this widely celebrated tradition.
It became customary to make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday in order to get rid of ingredients in the house that could not be used during the Lent period. And so came the birth of the often thin and round flat cakes that we now so dearly love.
So now you know why we eat pancakes today, let’s check out some other fun facts: • The earliest type of pancakes were made about 12,000 years ago. They were a concoction of grains and nuts, mixed with water or milk and then cooked on hot stones.
• Britain uses about 52 million eggs on Pancake Day, which is 22 million more than usual.
• Pancake Day is also referred to as ‘Fat Tuesday’ • The first pancake recipe appeared in an English cookbook in the 15th century • On average, people in the UK eat two pancakes each on Pancake Day. That means that 117 million pancakes are eaten on the day.
And in case you haven’t already had your fair share of the pancakes this year, according to thetoptens.com , these are the top pancake toppings to add some fun and flavour to the delightful sweet treat: • Maple syrup.
• Whipped cream.
• Chocolate syrup.
• Honey.
• Strawberry syrup.
What toppings are you having today?
