2. What is Pancake Day?
Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the last day before
the period which Christians call Lent. It is traditional
on this day to eat pancakes.
3. What are pancakes?
A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from
a batter.
4. People have their pancakes with:
Golden syrup
Sugar
Lemon juice, known as ‘jif’
Chocolate
Strawberries
Jam
5. Why are Pancakes eaten on
Shrove Tuesday?
Lent is a time when Christians give things up. Pancake
day is the last chance before Easter to use up the fatty
foods that can’t be eaten in Lent. Therefore, we eat
pancakes because they contain fat, butter and eggs.
6. When is Shrove Tuesday (Pancake
Day)?
Shrove Tuesday is celebrated the day before Ash
Wednesday. It is the final day before Lent starts.
Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter
Sunday. Because of this, the date varies from year to
year and but always falls between 3 February and 9
March.
7. Why do Christians call the day
'Shrove Tuesday'?
The name Shrove comes from the old word "shrive"
which means to confess.
A long time ago, on Shrove Tuesday, people used to
confess their sins so that they were forgiven before
Lent began.
8. Pancake Races
Pancake races are held all over England.
The aim is to get to the finishing line first whilst
flipping a pancake in a frying pan a certain number of
times. The pancake must still be in the pan when the
finishing line is reached.
9. The most famous pancake race takes place at Olney.
According to tradition, in 1445 a woman of Olney heard
the shriving bell while she was making pancakes and ran
to the church in her apron, still clutching her frying pan.
The Olney pancake race is well known all over the world.
To compete in the race, you have to be a local housewife
and you must wear an apron and a hat or scarf.
Each woman in the race has a frying pan containing a
hot, cooking pancake. It must be tossed three times
during the race. The first woman to complete the 375-
metre course and arrive at the church, must serve her
pancake to the bell ringer, and be kissed by him, and is
then declared the winner. She also receives a prayer book
from the vicar.
