A Trip Down Memory Lane with Pancakes

A staple american food, breakfast and brunch would be bland and bleak without a towering stockpile of pancakes. Served with syrup, butter and an assortment of topping favorites, pancakes definitely make your Sunday breakfast better. While pancakes have been a part not only of the western cuisine, but also here in the Philippines, for as long as you can remember, it dates back thousands of years ago! Today, let’s take a trip down memory lane and learn the fluffy history of this all-time favorite breakfast and merienda treat.

The Origin of Pancakes

Did you know they’ve been around for centuries as a staple food in many cultures’ diets? They were introduced over 30,000 years ago during the stone age. According to research, pancakes were found in the stomach of otzi the iceman, human remains dating back to 5,300 years ago. Wow! In Ancient Greece and Rome, pancakes were usually made using wheat flour, olive oil, honey and curdled milk. The famous Greek poets Cratinus and Manges even wrote about them in some of their masterpieces. The great Shakespeare even mentions them in his plays. In the renaissance period, pancakes were flavored with spices, rosewater, sherry and apples.

Etymology The name pancake was coined in the 15th century but became standard not until the 19th century America. Previously, they were known as Indian cakes, hoe cakes, johnnycakes, journey cakes, buckwheats, griddle cakes and flapjacks. “Early American pancakes were made with buckwheat or cornmeal. Thomas Jefferson loved them so much he sent a special recipe to his home town from the White House.” Pancake Day There is indeed a pancake day also known as Shrove Tuesday. It’s observed 47 days before Easter Sunday, and it’s during this time that people get the last chance to consume animal products before Lenten fasting begins. The pancakes were consumed in such large amounts, that they earned the rightful name for Pancake Day. What a colorful history for such a fluffy dish. Next time you have your pancakes for Sunday breakfast or snacks, try reading more how this staple food has made its way around the world. Get them while they are hot. Pancake meal kits and some more of Davao’s best meal kits are now available at malagoshomegrownproduce.com. Check out this online grocery and delivery in Davao City for more info.