Why do we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday?

The traditions of Shrove Tuesday date back generations and have roots in Paganism before becoming associated with a religious holiday, but where did the idea of eating pancakes come from? Let’s find out.

While we might now know it as Pancake Day, after the introduction of Christianity, society moved away from Pagan holidays (before Christianity, the spring months were dedicated to the Gods of fertility and vegetation and hot, round cakes were made and eaten) and the ideas of Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Maundy Thursday and Easter became more popular.

Shrove Tuesday’s name actually comes from the word “shrive”, which means to be absolved from sin following confession.  Basically, Shrove Tuesday was the last day in which you could go to confession before Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday and is the period of fasting before Easter. It was also the last day you could indulge in a whole range of foods before the 40 days of fasting that was to come. Traditionally, families would have to give up things like milk and eggs – both key ingredients in the making of pancakes, hence, to eat as much of it as possible, pancakes became the thing to eat on Shrove Tuesday.

The earliest known recipe for pancakes can be dated back to 15^th century England, although pancakes as we know them had been eaten in other countries long before then, particularly in French speaking places. That’s where we get Mardi Gras from! (It translates to Fat Tuesday).

Pancakes aren’t just traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday - pancake races are also hugely popular and have been since the 1400s. In fact, Olney’s pancake race has been taking place since at least 1445! At Westminster School, a prestigious public school in London, they have their own tradition when it comes to Pancake Day. Every year, the students compete to grab the biggest portion of a pancake which has been thrown over a five metre bar, an activity known as the annual Pancake Grease.

Historically, Shrove Tuesday has had some other activities that have taken place on the day. Thankfully cock-throwing is no longer a thing – that involved tying a cockerel to a stake and throwing things at it. Football games are still done, however. The Shrovetide ballgame involved communities around the UK playing a variety of ball games from one end of the town or village to the other. Ashbourne in Derbyshire still holds their game, it’s played over two days and involves hundreds of players.

Anyway, pancakes, in Britain, the tradition is to make a thin pancake which is served and eaten immediately after frying. There are lots of toppings you can use but the most popular in the UK is lemon juice and caster sugar.