In honour of Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday as it’s more traditionally known, we have compiled a list of top destinations from around the world where pancakes will be on the menu all day, every day!
USA
These thick, fluffy buttermilk pancakes are usually served in huge stacks and are an American breakfast staple.
They come with a variety of toppings, such as melted butter, maple syrup and bacon, blueberries or chocolate chips. And while the whole world loves a good pancake, they’ve gone the extra mile in the USA where you’ll find hundreds of pancake-dedicated restaurants.
Austria
The Kaiserschmarrn, commonly known as Emperor’s Mess, is a popular shredded pancake dish, which gets its name from the Austrian emperor (Kaiser) Franz Joseph I, who was very fond of this kind of fluffy shredded pancake.
It is a usually eaten as a meal or dessert in Austria, Bavaria, Hungary, Slovenia, and northern Croatia.
Greece
The first pancakes on record came from Greece, around 2,500 years ago, so it’s fair to say that the Greeks know a thing or two about making them.
Greek pancakes are called tiganites, which originates from tagenon – meaning frying pan – and they use a simple recipe of flour, olive oil, milk and eggs.
They’re small, slightly thicker than a crepe, and can be topped with cinnamon, honey and yoghurt for a sweet treat, or cheese and nuts for a savoury snack.
China
Now for a savoury delight – Cong you bing. These bad boys are pan-fried and infused with scallions (green onions). What makes them different from the pancakes we know is that they are made from a dough rather than a traditional pancake batter.
Also known as a scallion pancake, they are served both as a street food item and a restaurant dish.
Iceland
The people of Iceland like pancakes so much, they’ve created two different types. The ponnukaka is made in a special pan which is never washed, not even rinsed with water. It’s thought that this adds to the taste and helps them to be as thin and crepe-like as possible. They’re usually eaten at breakfast or as a dessert and are served folded with sugar or jam with whipped cream tucked away inside.
The second type of pancake is the skonsur, which means scone in English. It’s thicker than the ponnukaka and is often used to make a shrimp or egg salad sandwich. Sometimes the skonsur is served with butter and maple syrup similar to an American buttermilk pancake.
India
Another exotic savoury option, the Uttapam pancakes of India are made using rice and black lentils. They are a far cry from your usual syrup-coated stack, but they taste equally as good.
Uttapam is traditionally made with toppings such as tomatoes, onion, chillies, capsicum and coriander. Other common choices are coconut, grated carrots and beets. It is often eaten with sambar or chutney. It is one of the popular dishes of South India.
France
We can’t forget about crepes now, can we? Crepes can be made both sweet (crepe sucrees) and savoury (crepes salees), depending on what you prefer.
Common savoury fillings for crepes served for lunch or dinner are cheese, ham, and eggs, ratatouille, mushrooms, artichoke (in certain regions), and various meat products. The fillings are commonly added to the center of the crepe and served with the edges partially folded over the centre.
When sweet, they can be eaten as part of breakfast or as a dessert. They can be filled and topped with various sweet toppings, often including the famous Nutella spread, preserves, sugar (granulated or powdered), maple syrup, golden syrup, lemon juice, whipped cream, fruit spreads, custard, and sliced soft fruits or confiture.
Finland
Pannukakku is an oven-baked Finnish delight, with a custard and vanilla spiced batter. They make a delicious breakfast or brunch food and use simple everyday ingredients. Pannukakku comes out of the oven hot and fluffy and is usually served with a topping of berry syrup.
Hungry yet?
