5 February – HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!

“Mix a pancake, Stir a pancake, Pop it in the pan. Fry the pancake, Toss the pancake, Catch it if you can.” - Christina Rossetti

Happy Pancake Day.  No, really.

I saw signs for it in the food stalls of Marks & Spencer’s, directing shoppers towards all the best pancake-making paraphernalia one could ask for (including real Vermont maple syrup). I had assumed that this was some UK version of a Hallmark holiday inspired by a colloquium of marketers from the Bisquick and Mrs. Butterworth camps, or perhaps a scheme* devised by the trusts which sponsor Dairy and Grain development. I was mistaken.

Pancake Day is how the English** (in theory) celebrate Shrove Tuesday – better known in the US as Fat Tuesday, or frankly, just Tuesday.

Pancake Day began as a way to finish off anything in the larder that would be prohibited during Lent. Making pancakes would use up all the remaining eggs, milk and butter, using just a bit of flour***, thus delighting one’s family with a last nummy breakfast before the fasting began. From my recent study**** on the subject, I’ve learned that this is the same inspiration that gave rise to Fat Tuesday^ .

To my chagrin, Pancake Day is no longer a widely celebrated holiday in England. I even had to remind my colleagues that today was Pancake Day (though when told, there were wistful looks and the rememberance of things past^^^^). Gone are the days of pancake races and the pancake bell, but I believe such things are worth fighting for.

In honor of such splendid holidays of yore – I say we celebrate Pancake Day (Observed). We could split the difference between Roman and Greek Easters, and schedule it for Saturday (9 February). Go to brunch or if you’re feeling fancy, have people over for a Pancake Day (Observed) celebration^^^^^ of your very own.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, though I hope that you will, I wish you all the happiest Pancake Day ever. Shrive on!

*Everything here is a scheme. Think of any phase in which an American would use the word plan and then replace it with scheme, such as tax scheme or pension scheme. To my American mind, pension scheme sounds like the sort of thing that was Enron’s undoing, but here it’s just how things are called. I signed up for a pension scheme today – and I have to admit, I felt a bit naughty doing so, but I’m sure it’s all above board.

You can even have a diet scheme – I know we have those in the US, but they involve an awful expenditure in little capsules and/or the intake of fasts amounts of cabbage soup and grapefruit; here the diet scheme is Weight Watchers.

To sum up, in the UK, everyone is a “scheming little bugger”, but that’s a-ok.

**So – it seems lots of nations celebrate a version of Pancake Day. How’d the US miss out on this? Discuss

***The ingredients represent: Eggs – Creation, Flour – The staff of life, Salt – Wholesomeness, Milk – Purity

****i.e. Reading a newspaper article and watching a segment that shared pancake making secrets on the BBC’s version of Today.

^I have pondered the etymology of this phrase, but never for long enough to look it up or ask someone. I had kind of thought that perhaps there once was a rather rotund Cajun whose nickname was Tuesday (perhaps after Thor, for my Mr. Tuesday’s laugh would remind one of thunder roaring in the heavens – or something.) He’d have been a beloved figure in New Orleans, his adopted home, and once each year good ol’ Fatty T. would throw the biggest party you ever did see and there would be games and a parade and trinkets for the children, etc. In my mind, Fat Tuesday was a big, drunk, southern Santa, no red suit – but I’d picture him with suspenders (or braces^^) and a large brimmed hat.

^^Suspenders in the UK are garters. Braces are suspenders. Important distinction. Also pants are underwear and, despite what we may learn from certain members of young Hollywood, at least one should be worn when attending work or social events^^^

^^^Unless your social events are a bit bluer than mine – if so – all power to you and I didn’t mean to judge.

^^^^ Sorry, couldn’t resist.

^^^^^Some rhymes and songs to make your Pancake Day (Observed) celebration all the more sparkly and special:

(From A Calendar of Country Customs, as found on Elaine’s Pancake Day Page)
From Wiltshire: A-shrovin’, a-shrovin’ / i be come a-shrovin’, / a piece of bread, a piece of cheese, / A bit of your fat bacon, / Or a dish of dough-nuts, / All of your own makin’!

(Alternate version:) A-shrovin’, a-shrovin’, / Nice meat in a pie, / my mouth is very dry.

From Warminster: Dame, is your pan hot? / Lard and corn is dear; / I’ve come a-shovin’, / Tis but once a year. / So up to the flitch / and cut a gurt stitch; / If your hens don’t lay, / I’ll steal your cock away / Afore next Shrove Tuesday.

From West Somerset: Tippety-Tippety-tin; / Give me a pancake and I’ll come in. / Tippety-tippety-toe, / Give me a pancake and then I’ll go.

Cornish version: Nicky, nicky, nan, / Give me a pancake and then I’ll be gone. / But if you give me none, / I’ll throw a great stone / And down your door shall come.