This week Jackie Dalton finds out all about Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, as it's often known in the UK. What is a pancake? Why do we eat them on Shrove Tuesday?

We also learn about another strange tradition on Shrove Tuesday - pancake racing! Our roving reporter, William, goes down to a race in London to find out exactly what happens.

Don't forget to follow the link at the bottom of this page for delicious pancake recipes!

Listen to London Life
	Pancake Racing

Words and expressions from the programme

to feast
to eat lots of good food in one go

to fast
to eat little or no food, often for religious reasons

Lent
the 40 days before Easter when Christians fast or stop doing something they enjoy

Shrove Tuesday
the day before Lent, when Christians traditionally feast before they start fasting

Pancake Day
now another name for Shrove Tuesday, when people in the UK eat pancakes

pancakes
thin flat cakes made of butter, flour and egg, usually fried

to toss/to flip pancakes
to throw pancakes up in the air so that they turn over

disqualify
to stop someone from taking part in a competition because because they have broken a rule