Whether you call it a griddlecake, flapjack, or pancake, these names all refer to a breakfast food that is loved by many. Pancakes are known all across the world, and every country customizes them to their culture. But one might wonder how pancakes became so popular. To give you some fun facts to discuss at your breakfast table, below is a brief history of this breakfast staple. 

The Creation of Pancakes 

There are records of natives from the Stone Age using grinding tools to make their own flour out of ferns and cattails. Then they mixed their flour with bird eggs and goat milk and poured the mixture over heated rocks.  

Native American tribes pounded corn into meal and used that instead of flour when making what they called journey cakes. The mixture could be carried in saddlebags and cooked wherever they stopped along their trip. The Pawtuxet Indians showed the New England settlers how to make the corn mixture because their flour had spoiled. In 1796, Johnny Cakes, which is an alteration of journey cakes, appeared in the first American cookbook and called for milk, cornmeal, and molasses. 

How They Evolved 

Today, you don’t usually find cornmeal in your breakfast pancakes. This alteration in the recipe can be traced back to Thomas Jefferson. He liked Johnny Cakes so much that he sent the recipe back home to his French maître d'hôtel, Étienne Lemaire, who had experience making crêpes. To make crêpes, they would pour a thin layer of batter onto a hot pan and cook it until light brown. The batter was similar to what you see in pancakes today, but it has since been adapted with a leavening agent to make them thicker. 

The Celebration of Pancake Day

The day before Lent is called Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, and was and still is celebrated by many around the world. People would feast on stacks of pancakes as a final celebration before their fasting period began preceding Ash Wednesday. They would also take the opportunity to use up perishable items that would have low demand during Lent, such as eggs, milk, and butter, because they didn’t want food to spoil. This year, Pancake Day falls on February 25^th.

To celebrate Pancake Day, go to Biscuit King, located in High Point, NC. Breakfast is served all day, and they have a full menu of options to choose from. From a four pancake plate to a crispy chicken biscuit, you have your choice of homemade, American-style delicacies. To view the menu, go to their website, or call (336) 991-5524.