Pancake lovers, rejoice! This year, Pancake Tuesday falls on February 13th, meaning we enjoy delicious pancakes for dinner the night before Valentine’s Day.
For those unfamiliar, Pancake Tuesday is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent in Christian traditions. Since Lent involves fasting or giving up certain foods, Pancake Tuesday became a way to use up ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar before the 40-day fast.
The day is also commonly known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday in different cultures. But no matter what you call it, the star of the show on this movable feast day is the beloved pancake!
With Pancake Tuesday landing right before Valentine’s Day this year, it’s a perfect excuse to enjoy a romantic pancake date night. Just imagine sitting down to a candlelit pancake dinner, then exchanging Valentines and gifts over leisurely cups of coffee or tea. If the idea of pancakes is a bit weird for dinner, try savoury crepes!
Of course, this is also an occasion for families with kids to make fun, creative pancake toppings and enjoy some quality bonding time. Many families love getting in on the pancake-flipping action! The kids always end up wearing as much batter as they eat. In the UK there is a long tradition of holding pancake races!
When it comes to pancake recipes, the options are endless. Fluffy buttermilk pancakes, exotic crepe variations, and even vegan and gluten-free recipes are celebrated today. Toppings can range from sweet fruit compotes to savoury bacon and eggs. There are even cool tools like squeeze bottles to help decorate pancake art worthy of food blogs.
This Pancake Tuesday, I encourage you to ditch the usual dinner routine in favour of a delicious pancake feast! Take inspiration from cultures across the globe and get creative with recipes and toppings. Just don’t forget that the real meaning of this occasion involves spending quality time with your loved ones before Lent begins.
Will you be celebrating Pancake Tuesday? Let me know some of your favourite recipes and traditions!
Here are my favourite recipes:
