Pancake Day
They’re off!
Many people in the United Kingdom eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, the
day before Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins. The custom began long ago,
when people could not eat butter and eggs during Lent. So, to use up
their butter and eggs before Ash Wednesday (see page 96), they made
pancakes.
On Pancake Day, as it is called, the women of Olney, England, have a
pancake race. On this day, the women line up in the market
square. Each carries a pancake in a frying pan. The women must flip
their pancakes three times as they race for the church door at the other
end of the square.
A bell clangs. They’re off! Pancakes are flipping and feet are flying.
The race lasts about a minute. The winner gets a kiss from the bell
ringer of the village.
On the same day, there is also a pancake race in Liberal, Kansas. The
people of Olney and the people of Liberal compare winning times by
telephone to see which town has won the pancake race.
