Pancake Day in London
In the UK, we have a tradition of making and eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, which falls between 2 February and 9 March, depending on the date for Easter. Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday to use its correct title, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent - the 40 days leading up to Easter - was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday Christians went to confession and were "shriven" (absolved from their sins).
Pancake Day became a great way to use the foods that were given up for Lent – milk, butter, and eggs. The humble pancake has featured in recipe books as far back as 1439.
Pancake Recipe
4 oz (100 g) plain flour
10 fl oz (300 ml) milk
2 eggs
2 oz (50 g) melted butter
Pinch of salt
Pancake Styles From Around the World
German and French pancakes are very thin and served with sweet or savory fillings. The French crêpe is thin and crispy - a crêpe suzette is folded or rolled and heated in a sauce of butter, sugar, citrus juice, and liqueur.
Russian blinis are thin, crisp pancakes, commonly served with caviar and sour cream or folded over and filled with cream cheese or jam.
Mexico has tortillas, which are often served folded with a bean or meat filling and topped by tomato sauce.
American pancakes are thicker and can be called battercakes or griddlecakes.
Pancake Day Races in London
There are a growing number of annual Pancake Day races in London. The aim of a pancake race is to run as fast as you can while tossing a pancake in a frying pan! Some races have teams doing a relay, some have competitors in fancy dress, but all are great fun to watch.
Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race Review
Location:
The race takes place in Victoria Gardens (opposite College Green) at the other end of Houses of Parliament to Big Ben – adjacent to the river. You'll find it!
Nearest tube station: Westminster
Description:
Members of both Houses of Parliament (House of Lords and House of Commons) and representing all the major political parties compete in this highly competitive race.
Final team selection is often a secret until the morning of the event, but veteran pancake racers Lord Morris of Manchester, Lord and Lady Dholakia, Betty Williams MP and Steven Pound MP usually take part.
A VIP official starter will be on hand to ensure that the Rules of Engagement are strictly observed, including a newly-imposed ban on tripping up other competitors!
Race Time:
10.am - 10.30am
(Note: the race is only 5-10 minutes so enjoy the fun before and after.)
Extra Information:
Rehab UK is part of the Rehab Group and operates from three innovative brain injury rehabilitation centers, including one in London. It provides a comprehensive range of specialist services, from vocational and educational assessment and training to case management, and develops bespoke programs for people in the comfort of their own homes. It's all about enabling people with disabilities to return to education, to break into the workforce and sustain employment and to enable them become more socially and economically independent.
The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
Description:
Teams of four perform a relay race for spectators to raise money for charity (London's Air Ambulance). The winners receive a beautifully engraved frying pan with further prizes for the best dressed team and runner-ups.
Location:
Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, E1
Nearest tube stations: Aldgate East / Liverpool Street.
Start Time:
12.30pm, followed by the finals and the prize giving.
Official Website:
The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
Location:
Guildhall Yard, in front of the Guildhall in the City of London.
Nearest tube stations:
St Paul's / Mansion House / Bank.
Description:
Four races with the teams wearing official attire for their ceremonial roles - plus a chef's hat and an apron!
Race Time: 1pm
Location:
Borough Market's Jubilee Place just off Winchester Walk, near Southwark Cathedral.
Nearest tube station: London Bridge.
Description:
Better Bankside is a business improvement district that covers from Southwark Bridge to London Bridge. They hold an annual Pancake Day Race to raise money for charity. Expect to see five heats plus a winners' race. It's a simple relay race with four members in each team (maximum of 25 teams).
The Dean of Southwark Cathedral will begin the race and all are welcome to come along, support their teams and enjoy the live music.
For spectators and participants Borough Market trader Baxter's and The Refectory at the Cathedral will be selling pancakes with a variety of toppings: cinnamon, lemon, nutella, fruit salad and banana. Other traders from Borough Market will be there on the day providing a host of sweet treats and the market’s Demonstration Kitchen with resident chef Hayley Edwards will be there to show you how to create a range of delicious pancake fillings from the Market’s produce.
Start Time: 12 noon. Races start at 12.30pm.
Finish Time: 2pm.
Better Bankside Website: Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Another race nearby: In the same area, there is also be the The Flipping Marvellous SE1 Charity Pancake Race 12.30-2pm at The Scoop, outside City Hall. Find out more...
Nearby Dining:Southwark Cathedral Refectory.
In the UK, we have a tradition of making and eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, which falls between 2 February and 9 March, depending on the date for Easter. Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday to use its correct title, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent - the 40 days leading up to Easter - was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday Christians went to confession and were "shriven" (absolved from their sins).
Pancake Day became a great way to use the foods that were given up for Lent – milk, butter, and eggs. The humble pancake has featured in recipe books as far back as 1439.
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Pancake Recipe
4 oz (100 g) plain flour
10 fl oz (300 ml) milk
2 eggs
2 oz (50 g) melted butter
Pinch of salt
- Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the center and add the eggs.
- Whisk to add the eggs.
- Gradually add the milk and keep whisking.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan on a hot heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the batter mix.
- Pour the batter into the frying pan and tilt from side to side to create a thin layer of batter.
- Cook for 1 minute.
- Loosen the edges of the pancake and flip it over.
- Cook the other side for a minute.
- Have some fun tossing the pancake!
- Slide out of the pan onto a plate. You can stack them with greaseproof paper between.
- Delicious with sugar and lemon juice.
Related Resources
- Pancake Recipe (About.com British Food)
- Fat Tuesday Recipes (About.com Catholicism)
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Pancake Styles From Around the World
German and French pancakes are very thin and served with sweet or savory fillings. The French crêpe is thin and crispy - a crêpe suzette is folded or rolled and heated in a sauce of butter, sugar, citrus juice, and liqueur.
Russian blinis are thin, crisp pancakes, commonly served with caviar and sour cream or folded over and filled with cream cheese or jam.
Mexico has tortillas, which are often served folded with a bean or meat filling and topped by tomato sauce.
American pancakes are thicker and can be called battercakes or griddlecakes.
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Pancake Day Races in London
There are a growing number of annual Pancake Day races in London. The aim of a pancake race is to run as fast as you can while tossing a pancake in a frying pan! Some races have teams doing a relay, some have competitors in fancy dress, but all are great fun to watch.
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery Pancake Race
- Great Pancake Race
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
Review
Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race Review
Location:
The race takes place in Victoria Gardens (opposite College Green) at the other end of Houses of Parliament to Big Ben – adjacent to the river. You'll find it!
Nearest tube station: Westminster
Description:
Members of both Houses of Parliament (House of Lords and House of Commons) and representing all the major political parties compete in this highly competitive race.
Final team selection is often a secret until the morning of the event, but veteran pancake racers Lord Morris of Manchester, Lord and Lady Dholakia, Betty Williams MP and Steven Pound MP usually take part.
A VIP official starter will be on hand to ensure that the Rules of Engagement are strictly observed, including a newly-imposed ban on tripping up other competitors!
Race Time:
10.am - 10.30am
(Note: the race is only 5-10 minutes so enjoy the fun before and after.)
Extra Information:
Rehab UK is part of the Rehab Group and operates from three innovative brain injury rehabilitation centers, including one in London. It provides a comprehensive range of specialist services, from vocational and educational assessment and training to case management, and develops bespoke programs for people in the comfort of their own homes. It's all about enabling people with disabilities to return to education, to break into the workforce and sustain employment and to enable them become more socially and economically independent.
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
Description:
Teams of four perform a relay race for spectators to raise money for charity (London's Air Ambulance). The winners receive a beautifully engraved frying pan with further prizes for the best dressed team and runner-ups.
Location:
Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, E1
Nearest tube stations: Aldgate East / Liverpool Street.
Start Time:
12.30pm, followed by the finals and the prize giving.
Official Website:
The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Race Photos:
The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races PhotosLocation:
Guildhall Yard, in front of the Guildhall in the City of London.
Nearest tube stations:
St Paul's / Mansion House / Bank.
Description:
Four races with the teams wearing official attire for their ceremonial roles - plus a chef's hat and an apron!
Race Time: 1pm
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Location:
Borough Market's Jubilee Place just off Winchester Walk, near Southwark Cathedral.
Nearest tube station: London Bridge.
Description:
Better Bankside is a business improvement district that covers from Southwark Bridge to London Bridge. They hold an annual Pancake Day Race to raise money for charity. Expect to see five heats plus a winners' race. It's a simple relay race with four members in each team (maximum of 25 teams).
The Dean of Southwark Cathedral will begin the race and all are welcome to come along, support their teams and enjoy the live music.
For spectators and participants Borough Market trader Baxter's and The Refectory at the Cathedral will be selling pancakes with a variety of toppings: cinnamon, lemon, nutella, fruit salad and banana. Other traders from Borough Market will be there on the day providing a host of sweet treats and the market’s Demonstration Kitchen with resident chef Hayley Edwards will be there to show you how to create a range of delicious pancake fillings from the Market’s produce.
Start Time: 12 noon. Races start at 12.30pm.
Finish Time: 2pm.
Better Bankside Website: Better Bankside Pancake Day Race
Another race nearby: In the same area, there is also be the The Flipping Marvellous SE1 Charity Pancake Race 12.30-2pm at The Scoop, outside City Hall. Find out more...
Nearby Dining:Southwark Cathedral Refectory.
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Day in London
- Pancake Recipe
- Pancake Styles From Around the World
- Pancake Day Races in London
- Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race
- The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race
- The Inter-Livery & City of London Pancake Races
- Better Bankside Pancake Day Race