Five things you didn't know about pancakes

By Jodie McCluskey

Pans, eggs and golden syrup at the ready!!

It’s Shrove Tuesday, an excuse to slather pancakes in Nutella and scoff with gusto.

I tried to break with the norm last year and get all creative by making savoury pancakes. I’ve clearly blocked the contents of said treat from memory because all I remember is I created possibly the most disgusting thing ever tasted by mankind, ever.

I’ll be sticking to the fail safe combo of chocolate spread and banana with extra butter!

BUUUUT did you know….

1) An Australian chef called Brad Jolly holds the world record for ‘most tosses of a pancake in one minute’ - he notched up an impressive 140 flips in 60 seconds back in 2012!! See how many you manage, but remember the 10 second rule for those you drop on the floor.

2) In France, pancakes must be tossed with a coin in hand to bring good fortune for the rest of the year.

3) In the days before sweeties and crisps, pancakes were seen as a way of using up rich foods before fasting for Lent

4) The largest pancake ever made and flipped was 15.01m wide, 2.5cm deep and weighed 3 tonnes!! We guess it took more than a mere frying pan to flip that bad boy.

5) Not everyone eats pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. In Iceland they feast on salted meat and peas - can’t imagine seasoning that feast with lemon and sugar would go work well.

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