Pancake Day 煎饼节

华中师范大学外国语学院 张紫轩  编译

English people are really pancake fans. According to statistics1 from BBC， the online recipe about pancake with sugar and lemon can easily win the highest click-through rates2. They cook it， eat it and even celebrate “Pancake Day” every year. That special event falls on the Tuesday before Lent3， varying from year to year between February 3 and March 9. On that day， its traditional to eat pancakes， toss4 pancakes and take part in pancake races.

This interesting origin of eating pancakes had something to do with the customs of Lent. During that period of 40 days， eggs， sugar and butter were not allowed. So Tuesday， the final day before the beginning of Lent， will be peoples last chance to use up all the foods forbidden by Lent. Smart English people began to make a thin， flat cake by using the above ingredients5 like eggs and butter. And thats what we call “pancake” today， which is different from the salty Chinese one. Its usually sweet with a little fresh lemon juice added over the top.

English people make pancakes to eat， and more interestingly， to exercise their arms and legs. Taking part in an exciting pancake race is a must on that day. The goal of the race is to run to the finishing line first while flipping6 a pancake in a frying pan for a certain number of times. If the runner wants to get the first place， he or she should pay more attention in flipping and catching the pancake rather than running， because the pancake must remain complete when the finishing line is reached.

This game is held all over England， but the most famous race takes place in Olney. In Olney， runners have to be local housewives and they must wear an apron7 and a hat or scarf. Each of them has a frying pan with a hot， cooking pancake. She must toss it three times during the race. The first woman to reach the finishing line is the winner.

Over time， eating pancakes and holding pancake races on “Pancake Day” is now a happy festival when people enjoy fine pancakes and share joyful moments together.

英國人很爱吃煎饼。据英国广播公司（BBC）的统计数据显示，网上关于加糖和柠檬的煎饼菜谱很轻易就能赢得最高点击率。他们做煎饼，吃煎饼，甚至每年还会庆祝“煎饼节”。“煎饼节”在大斋节前的星期二举行，日期不定，在每年2月3日至3月9日之间。在那天，吃煎饼，翻动煎饼和参加煎饼赛跑比赛是传统节目。

吃煎饼的有趣起源与大斋节的习俗有关。在大斋节的40天时间里，人们不能食用鸡蛋、糖和黄油。所以在大斋节开始前的最后一天（周二），人们还有最后一次机会用完大斋节期间禁止的食物。聪明的英国人开始用鸡蛋和黄油等原料做扁平的薄饼——这就是我们今天所说的“煎饼”。不同于中国咸味的煎饼，英国的煎饼通常是甜的，还会在上面加上少许新鲜柠檬汁。

英国人做的薄煎饼可以填饱肚子，更有趣的是，也可以锻炼他们的胳膊和腿。在“煎饼节”，怎么能不参加煎饼赛跑？比赛中，参赛者需一边跑向终点一边在煎锅里翻一定次数的煎饼。如果他或她想要获得第一名，则更应该注意翻动煎饼且不使煎饼掉下来，而不仅仅只是奔跑，因为煎饼必须在到达终点线时保持完整。

在英格兰各地都会举行这种比赛，但最著名还是要属在奥尔尼的赛跑比赛。在奥尔尼，参赛者必须是当地的家庭主妇，她们必须戴围裙、帽子或围巾。她们每个人都有一个煎锅，煎锅里有一个热乎乎的煎饼。她们必须在比赛中把煎饼翻面三次。第一个到达终点线的人就是赢家。

随着时间的推移，在煎饼节那天吃煎饼和举行煎饼赛跑比赛变成为了一个快乐的节日。在那一天，人们一起享用美味煎饼、分享欢乐时刻。