Who Made the First Pancake?

Almost certainly, the first person to make a pancake lived in prehistoric times. Of course, it would not have been as tasty as the pancakes of today. Pancakes have been enjoyed throughout time, and are a favorite food the world over. 

Ancient Romans made a simple mix of milk, eggs, and flour and called it “Alita Dolcia" meaning "another sweet.” They might have been more like omelets or custards, depending on what ingredients were used. Sometimes they added fruit or honey, sometimes cheese or meat.

Pancakes that are more similar to what we eat today were created in Medieval Europe. They were made with flour, eggs, milk, and water, and served with honey and pepper. This basic recipe has been modified and adjusted in most cultures, replacing the flour with corn or potatoes, and replacing milk with buttermilk.

Pancakes can be thick or thin, smothered around syrup or rolled around jam. We don’t have an answer to the question, “Who made the first pancake?” but we know about them being a part of celebrations around the world.

• Pancakes have been part of the observance of Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) since medieval times. They were made of things that were forbidden during Lent; eggs, meat, dairy products, and oils. This tradition continues today with many countries having a Pancake Day.
• One of the oldest celebrations is the Olney pancake race in England. It has been held almost every year since 1445.

• Another tradition since the Middle Ages is dining on pea soup every Thursday by the people of Sweden. The pea soup is usually eaten with boiled pork, and traditionally, the dessert served on this night is Swedish Pancakes or "Plattar." They are served with jam or lingonberrries.

Pancakes in America

The American settlers ate “Indian cakes” made from cornmeal as early as 1607. The Dutch made a similar cake made from buckwheat, called buckwheat cakes in 1740. After this came johnnycakes and flapjacks. Johnnycakes trace their origins to Rhode Island, and “flap” means to toss. Early flapjacks were like an apple turnover. The word “pancake” began to be used in the 1870s.

Crepes

A crepe is a very thin pancake, made with a thin batter rolled around the pan. The origin of this French word is from the Latin "crispus," meaning curly or wavy. It is traditional to serve pancakes and crepes on Candlemas and Shrove Tuesday. Crepes can be served with salted butter, cheese, or meat. They can also be prepared as dessert.   

A Crepe Suzette is a crepe, rolled over with an orange sauce, with an orange based liqueur poured sparingly on it and flambéed (set afire). It originated in either 1896 or 1897. It is not certain who invented it, but one theory is that a crepe dish was accidentally set on fire by Henri Charpentier. His customer was the Prince of Wales, and said it was superb. Henri was thrilled and named it after the Prince’s female companion that evening.

Another story claims they were named after an actress, Suzanne Reichenberg, who was known as Suzette. She played the part of a maid who served crepes during a play. Monsieur Joseph, who owned the Restaurant Marivaux, provided the crepes for the shows. Since the actors had to eat them night after night, he served them flambé, not only to heat them, but to appeal to the audience.

Fun Facts

The answer to the question, “Who made the first pancake?” is unknown. But they have certainly been versatile and fun to eat. William Shakespeare mention pancakes four times in his plays, and the characters speaking about them were clowns.

• In Newfoundland, Pancake Day (the day before Ash Wednesday) certain items are placed in the pancake batter.  If a boy receives an item from a certain trade, he will grow up and enter that profession.  If a girl gets the same, she will marry someone from that trade.
• It is customary in France to touch the frying pan's handle, make a wish while the pancake is being flipped, while holding a coin.
• Fresh snow is used to make pancakes light and have a soft texture.
• There are places where people play with pancakes. It's called pancake tossing.
• The largest pancake ever cooked in the world was 15 meters in diameter and weighed three tons. This was done in Manchester and it contained two million calories.