[Sca-cooks] Annual Pancake race

[Dunbar, Debra]

They still do.  Annually, the Kansas race and the race in England are held
at the same time.  Locals are timed running while in a dress and an apron,
and while holding a cast iron skillet (supposedly with a pancake in it).  I
think they even need to flip the pancake upon arrive at the church door -
the finish line. There's a whole set of rules about the competition - anyone
can run the race, but only locals are considered in the rivalry between the
two cities.  Post race, both cities compare times via phone and pronounce
whether the Brits or the Yanks won that year.

The legend was that a woman (in Olney) was frying her Shrove Tuesday
pancakes in the 1400s and was going to be late for service.  In order to
make the service, and get that last pancake done, she raced from the house
with apron on, and fry pan in hand to flip the last pancake as she arrived
at the church.

This was written in an article by "Marathon and Beyond"  I believe it was
either in their November/December 2001, or their January/February 2002.  You
can check out their website at www.marathonandbeyond.com  I'm going off
memory here, since I don't have the magazine at work, so I may be off on the
exact details.

Wrynne
(mka Deb Dunbar, who runs marathons)

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Mike Newton [SMTP:melcnewt at netins.net]
> Sent:	Thursday, February 14, 2002 11:01 PM
> To:	sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
> Subject:	Re: Re[4]: [Sca-cooks] Everyone gone already?
>
> Liberal Kansas did at one time hold Pancake Races on Shrove Tuesday.
>
> Thorbjorn
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chip" <jallen at multipro.com>
> To: <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 4:50 PM
> Subject: Re[4]: [Sca-cooks] Everyone gone already?
>
>
> > > Didn't they do something with pancakes in Europe on Fat Tuesday?
> > > Seems like I remember something along those lines.
> > > Kiri
> >
> > You're right.  This was a new one by me, but a little Googling reveals
> > that the "Fat" in Fat Tuesday refers to the practice of giving up fat
> > for Lent.  Meat, dairy & eggs are also common items to give up.
> >
> > On Shrove Tuesday (aka Fat Tuesday aka Pancake Day) these items are
> > used up so as not to be wasted.  Lots of meat, lots of frying.
> > Depending on where you are in Europe, the traditional "sin food" might
> > be donuts, blinis, krullers, waffles, fritters, cakes (King Cakes?) --
> > but in England pancakes are popular.  Apparently, there's even a
> > pancake race in Olney, Buckinghamshire, dating from 1445 that involves
> > frying while running towards a church.
> >
> > Lovely traditions.  I feel an A&S research paper coming on.
> > "Plastic Baby Jesus: Pre-Lenten Traditions in Western Europe and Their
> > Effects on Modern New World Celebrations".
> >
> > Probably been done before, though.  Time for more research.
> > ____________________________________________________________________
> > Iyad ibn al-Thu'ban ibn Bisharo
> >
> > Northern Regional War Practice, February 23rd, 2002  (Meridies)
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> >
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