Pancake Day
Fluffy, golden discs of happiness that make mornings magical, there's nothing quite like a stack of pancakes to start your day off right.
Drive breakfast traffic and pancake-related product sales by celebrating Pancake Day traditions, from DIY home cooking to restaurant promotions tied to cultural customs and luck-based rituals.
- Share family pancake-flipping traditions and luck superstitions tied to the day
- Promote pancake mixes, toppings, and breakfast ingredients with 'Shrove Tuesday' recipe content
- Partner with restaurants for limited-time pancake specials and brunch events
- Highlight cultural variations (British lemon & sugar vs. maple syrup) to drive topping/condiment sales
Pancake Day has its roots in its association with Ash Wednesday, which is celebrated as the first day of Lent. Lent is a religious season of fasting that is observed by people of the Christian faith prior to Easter. With the number 40 having religious significance in Christianity, Lent is observed for 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays–making it 46 days prior to Easter.
Traditionally, on this day a bell would be rung to call Christians to church before Lent to be absolved of their sins, or “shriven”, which is where the term Shrove Tuesday came from. This is a day of confession in the church.
Because Lent is meant to be a season of abstinence, back in 600 AD, Pope Gregory declared that Christians should abstain from eating meat, or other animal products during the entire Lent season, beginning on Ash Wednesday.
Essentially, Pancake Day developed out of the practical need to use up all of the remaining eggs, butter, milk or other animal products that were in the house before Lent began.
So families began to look for what they could make quickly and easily that would use up these ingredients. And, at least in England and Ireland, the result turned into a day to make–and, of course, eat–copious numbers of pancakes!
In the US, particularly in areas with large populations of Polish people, like Chicago and Detroit, the day is celebrated with the traditional sweet pączki, which are something like donuts.
Make Pancakes at Home
Even for people who don’t consider themselves to be masters in the kitchen, pancakes are a fairly simple recipe that is fun to cook. Simply mix up a recipe that includes flour, eggs, butter or oil, milk or water, and a bit of sugar. For a fluffier, American-style pancake, baking powder might be used as a leavening agent and the pancakes will be a bit thicker. Once the batter is mixed up, it can be poured in small or large portions onto a hot griddle and flipped so that each side is golden brown. Those who want to take part in a Pancake Day tradition will often practice the flipping portion ceremoniously and attach it to a variety of ideas about luck and fortune in the coming year. Top them with lemon juice and powdered sugar for a British feel, or with maple syrup like Canadians or Americans.
Learn Fun Traditions About Pancake Day
Pancake Day comes with all kinds of different and fun traditions that families and cultures have included in celebration, like these: In Ireland, the tradition was that the Irish girls were given the afternoon off or work and the oldest unmarried girl of the family would toss the first pancake. If she was successful in flipping it, it was a sign that she would be married within the year. In Lithuania, similar to trick-or-treating for Halloween, people celebrating on this day might dress up in fancy costumes, play pranks, sing, dance and generally enjoy the day. Plus, they may also walk around begging to be given pancakes or money. Pancake flipping contests and races are a fun way that many people in England, Ireland and perhaps all over the world compete in races where they run while flipping their pancakes. Now that takes a lot of skill! In Scotland, special oatmeal pancakes (or ‘bannocks’) were cooked with a charm added into the batter. If an unmarried person found it in the cake they were eating, it was good luck and meant they would be married in the next year.
Go to an IHOP Restaurant for Pancake Day
Some restaurants that offer pancakes on their menu may be offering discounts, special prices, or unique menu items in celebration of Pancake Day. One such restaurant is the International House of Pancakes, which started their celebration in 2006. Most of the time, the celebratory offering for Pancake Day at IHOP includes offering free pancakes. Each guest who visits IHOP on this day can receive a free short stack (consisting of 3) of fluffy, buttermilk pancakes to go along with the rest of their meal. Plus, IHOP also uses the day for good by accepting donations and raising money for kids with medical needs through the Children’s Miracle Network, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Shriners Children’s Hospitals. With most of their locations in the United States, IHOP also has restaurants in Mexico and Canada, South America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, making it an option for people in many parts of the world to celebrate Pancake Day!
Try a New Pancake Recipe for Pancake Day
Though this is certainly a day for tradition, it might also be one to think beyond the norm! Pancakes are a delightfully simple recipe that can be altered and embellished in a variety of creative ways. Try out some of these ideas for adding a bit of zing to the ordinary pancake recipe: S’Mores Pancakes. Marshmallow fluff, chocolate chips and some graham cracker crumbs turn plain old pancakes into something unique and exciting that is reminiscent of being gathered around a campfire. Peppermint Hot Chocolate Pancakes. A delight for the senses, this recipe includes chocolate sauce and chocolate chips in the batter, as well as mini marshmallows and crushed peppermint candies sprinkled on top. Indulgent and delicious! Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. Enjoy the sweetness with a balance of cheese with this light and fluffy recipe. Simply mix ricotta cheese and lemon zest into the batter, add fresh or frozen blueberries, and top with powdered sugar after cooking.