Pancake Day 2020
Tuesday 25 February 2020 is Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day . This is traditionally a day of fun and feasting before fasting for the 40 days of Lent. In other cultures, Mardi Gras takes place on this date.
Tradition
In times gone by, people would use up all their eggs, butter, and sugar just before Lent because these items were to be given up during the fasting period. Therefore, it made sense to make pancakes out of the ingredients, and so the tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday was born.
Races and Football
Pancake races are also held at this time of year, the most notable – for the past 550 years – taking place in Olney, Buckinghamshire. You have to flip a pancake in a pan while racing hundreds of yards and not dropping it on the ground. The other big tradition for pancake day is the annual Shrovetide Football matches which have been taking place since at least the reign of Henry II.
Gut friendly recipes
If you are thinking of making some pancakes to celebrate why not try our savoury Spinach and buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon – despite its name, buckwheat is not a member of the wheat family and unlike wheat it is gluten free. Or our fluffy Blueberry, banana and cardamom pancakes – you would not guess it but these pancakes do not contain a grain of flour, yet they hold together really well. They are incredibly easy and quick to make if you have a stick blender or a liquidiser. Whichever way you go – sweet or savoury – we hope you enjoy a delicious gut friendly pancake feast!
