Chilly competitors at the Shrove Tuesday pancake race organised by Cleeve Women’s Institute (Somerset) in 1969.
Whether you call it Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Pancake Day, today is the day to indulge!
Traditionally, the Christian calendar holds that on Shrove Tuesday you should eat the foods you might give up for the 40 days of Lent. Nowadays, for most of us it’s an excuse to make and eat pancakes.
The tradition of pancake races is said to have originated in 1445 when a housewife from Olney, Buckinghamshire, was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the Shrove Tuesday service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake, tossing it to prevent it from burning.
If you fancy making something out of the ordinary today, MyWI has a number of mouth-watering pancake recipes. You could try your hand at blueberry pancakes, sourdough pancakes, pancakes with salted caramel sauce or perhaps just good old ordinary (but perfectly made) traditional pancakes.
However you eat your pancakes and whether you have them for breakfast, lunch or supper (or all three!), we hope you have a great day.