Pancake

A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Some pancakes are quick breads, which use a quick leavening agent such as baking powder, while some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. They may be served at any time with a variety of toppings or fillings including jam, chocolate chips, fruit, syrup or meat.

Archaeological evidence suggests that varieties of pancakes are probably the earliest and most widespread types of cereal food eaten in prehistoric societies whereby dry carbohydrate-rich seed flours mixed with the available protein-rich liquids, usually milk and eggs, were baked on hot stones or in shallow earthenware pots over an open fire to form a nutritious and highly palatable foodstuff.

In the medieval and modern Christian period, especially in Britain, pancakes were made to use up stored items prior to the period of Lent fasting beginning on Shrovetide. Since eggs were forbidden foods during Lent, making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday was a good way to use up eggs before Lenten fasts began.

The pancake's shape and structure varies worldwide. In Germany, pancakes are often made from potatoes. A crêpe is a Breton variety of thin pancake cooked on one or both sides in a special crepe pan or on a crepe maker to achieve a network of fine bubbles often compared to lace – a savory variety made from buckwheat is usually known as a galette. A well-known variation originating in South east Europe is Palačinke, a thin and moist pancake fried on both sides and filled with jam.