Pancake Day 2023 is on the horizon, and with only a short time to go before the tastiest day of the year, the race to get your hands on your favourite pancake mix ingredients and toppings has begun.
When is pancake day in 2023?
This year, Pancake Day (or Shrove Tuesday as it is traditionally known) is on Tuesday, 21st February.
Why do we celebrate pancake day?
Anyone who doesn’t know the history behind Pancake Day might think it’s a bit of a random celebration, but the tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday goes way back to the 16th century in the UK[i].
So, what is Shrove Tuesday? In Christianity and Catholicism, Shrove Tuesday marks the start of a 40-day fast in the lead-up to winter. In modern times, this fast is less strict than it was, but traditionally it would mean only one meal a day was permitted, and no eggs, butter, meat or fish were allowed. Therefore, Shrove Tuesday was the last day families had to use up butter and eggs – two key ingredients of pancakes!
This is where the association of Pancakes and Shrove Tuesday was formed, but now, even those who don’t celebrate the religious aspect still enjoy making and eating delicious sweet and/or savoury pancakes.
Pancake topping ideas
You can’t do Pancake Day without an array of toppings. Whether you like a savoury topping, or you have more of a sweet tooth, there are endless combos to try. We’ve popped a list together that includes everything you might need for your Pancake Day feast, including some of our Poundstretcher favourites.
All of the products below are available at Poundstretcher – see all our food items or find your closest store.
1. Squeezy sauces
Grab some squeeze bottles of your favourite sauce flavour. After Pancake Day is over, you can use them to top different desserts.
2. Fruit
Tinned fruit strikes the perfect balance between sweet, and fresh, a great complement to stodgy pancakes.
3. Honey
Naturally sweet and delicious, honey makes a tasty pancake pairing.
4. Classic lemon & sugar
A childhood Pancake Day staple has always been lemon and sugar. Make it even easier by picking up a bottle of lemon juice instead of squeezing your own.
Get the right tools for the job
If your pan is on its last legs or your whisk has disappeared into thin air, don’t forget to replace them before the day!
Having a bowl that is big enough to mix your batter up without flour flying all over the place is an absolute necessity! If your mixing bowl is on its last legs, maybe its time to invest in a new one.
Don’t struggle with lumpy batter, get yourself a brand-new whisk especially for pancake making.
If getting the scales out feels too much like hard work, measuring cups are the way forward.
For those with a busy schedule
If you’re too busy to mix up your own batter, or cooking isn’t your strongest area, you can still enjoy fresh pancakes.
Don’t forget the basics!
The last thing you want to do is forget a vital ingredient for your batter. For a traditional thin, British pancake batter, you’ll need…
- Plain flour
- Eggs
- Milk
- Oil
If you prefer a thicker, fluffier pancake, add:
- Self-raising flour
- Butter
- Baking powder
- Golden caster sugar
Ready, steady, get flipping!
At Poundstretcher, we have all the best Pancake Day supplies – from cooking equipment to individual ingredients, and pancake mixes to make a delicious, pan-ready batter. Visit us in store to gather everything you might need for a fantastic price.
Sources
[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday#:~:text=The%20specific%20custom%20of%20British,in%20the%20Christian%20liturgical%20calendar.