I’m Flippin’ for Pancake Day!

First off shame on all you Brits, Aussies, and other self proclaimed Anglophiles for not telling me about Pancake Day (aka Pancake Tuesday, aka Shrove Tuesday). Yes friends it is true, you heard correctly, there is a holiday solely reserved for the celebration of Pancakes and it is on Feb. 24th. Well it’s not really a holiday to celebrate pancakes, that’s like saying Christmas is a holiday to celebrate giving gifts (that is ridiculous). Pancake Tuesday is a holiday that is marked by the traditional making, flipping, eating, and racing with pancakes in commemoration of the day before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent).

From my research I have discovered that Pancake Day was very popular before the American Revolution when all things Anglo were the craze here in the colonies. However with the influx of French Catholic Immigrants (damn you immigrants and your Louisiana Purchase) the poor pancake was replaced by Mardi Gras. Crazy cause who would ever choose tits over a sweet griddle cake? The French, that’s who oh and those Latins with their Carnival. Prancing around in their sparkly body pant, feathers and pasties, freakin’ pancake haters.

As a Jew I tend not to participate in holly days that are sanctioned by The C of E however I have adopted such secularized Christian traditions as Halloween, St. Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day – so I think Adoni would be Ok if I was to add Pancake Tuesday into the mix. Good Lord is it a sin to like a pancake? And by actively celebrating this holiday I think I’ll gain points with my Christian fiancé, Galleta, who believes that for us to enter a blessed union I need to accept Jesus into my heart (I’m really hoping that he’s going to grow out of this whole Catholic thing by the time he’s 30)

If you find yourself as JAZZED as I regarding this newly discovered holiday here are a few suggestions to get into the spirit:
Enjoy a FREE Pancake – In celebration of Pancake Tuesday IHOP is offering a free short stack of griddle cakes all day on Feb. 24th. http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/

Make a Pancake - The traditional pancake is slightly thicker than a French crêpe. It is served immediately after preparation with a sprinkling of caster sugar and a dash of fresh lemon juice or with syrup.

Race with a Pancake - Participants race on a predetermined course while flipping their pancakes in a supplied regulation skillet.

Tell your future in a Pancake- Bake household items into your pancakes and serve them to family members. Rings, thimbles, thread, coins, and other objects all have meanings associated with them. The lucky one to find coins in their pancake will be rich, the finder of the ring will be the first married, and the finder of the thimble will be a seamstress or tailor.

Be a Pancake Gangster – In Brittan school children in disguise break into homes and demand pancakes. They can also be found fighting for pancakes for monetary rewards and throwing old crockery at peoples' doors while asking for pancakes to be tossed back in return.