Blueberry pancakes (American)

A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter, and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads, which use a quick leavening agent such as baking powder, while some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Typically, pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side. Depending on the region, pancakes may be served at any time of day, 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.^[1]

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. There are numerous variations of them throughout Europe. In Germany, pancakes can be made from potatoes. A crêpe is a Breton variety of thin pancake cooked on one or both sides in a special crepe pan to achieve a network of fine bubbles often compared to lace – a savory variety made from buckwheat is usually known as a galette.

Etymology[link]

The Middle English word Pancake appears in an English culinary manuscript from 1430.^[2][3]

History[link]

The Ancient Greeks made pancakes called τηγανίτης (tēganitēs), ταγηνίτης (tagēnitēs)^[4] or ταγηνίας (tagēnias),^[5] all words deriving from τάγηνον (tagēnon), "frying pan".^[6] The earliest attested references on tagenias are in the works of the 5th century BC poets Cratinus^[7] and Magnes.^[8] Tagenites were made with wheat flour, olive oil, honey and curdled milk, and were served for breakfast.^[9][10][11] Another kind of pancake was σταιτίτης (staititēs), from σταίτινος (staitinos), "of flour or dough of spelt",^[12] derived from σταῖς (stais), "flour of spelt".^[13] Athenaeus is his Deipnosophistae mention staititas topped with honey, sesame and cheese.^[14][15][16]

Regional varieties[link]

France[link]

Crêpe

French crêpes, popular in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Portugal and Brazil (where they may be called panquecas or crepes) are made from flour, milk, and eggs. They are thin pancakes and are usually served with a large amount of sweet or savory filling, ranging from fruit or ice cream, to seafood (in Brazil, most usually ground meat). In Francophone Europe, crêpes are often sold in special stands, along with Nutella for topping.

French crêpes have become very popular in many East Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, The Philippines, Thailand and China, where they are sold in numerous crêpe stands and kiosks. They are often served with whipped cream and fruits, or non-sweet spreads such as various vegetables.

A galette bretonne (or galette breton) is a large thin pancake made of buckwheat flour, mostly associated with the regions of Normandy and Brittany in France. It is often cooked on one side only.

Western Europe[link]

Kaiserschmarrn

Pannenkoek with bacon and Gouda cheese

German pancakes are called Pfannkuchen (Pfanne and Kuchen meaning 'pan' and 'cake'). In some regions (Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxonia) pancakes are called Eierkuchen, as the term Pfannkuchen refers to Berliners there. In Swabia sliced pancake strips (Flädle) are often served in soup.

Kaiserschmarrn is a light, caramelized pancake that is split into pieces, filled with fruits and/or nuts, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a fruit sauce. It is believed that it was first prepared for Kaiser Franz Joseph I of Austria. It is popular in the former Austria-Hungary and Bavaria.

The Netherlands[link]

In the Netherlands, pancakes are called pannenkoeken and eaten at dinnertime. Pancake restaurants are popular as family restaurants and serve many varieties of sweet, savory, and stuffed pancakes. Pannenkoeken are slightly thicker than crêpes and usually quite large (12" or more) in diameter. The batter is egg-based and the fillings can include sliced apples, cheese, ham, bacon, candied ginger and many other ingredients — alone or in combination — as well as "stroop" (molasses), a thick sugar syrup. One classical Dutch filling is a combination of bacon and stroop.

Poffertjes are another Dutch pancake-type dish. They resemble American pancakes somewhat, but are sweeter, and much smaller. The require a specially dimpled pan, preferably in copper. The technique used also varies; they are flipped repeatedly before a side is completely done, in order to attain a softer interior.

Northern Europe[link]

Scandinavian pancakes

Scandinavian pancakes are similar to the French crêpes. In some of the Scandinavian countries they are served with jam as a dessert with a variety of savory fillings. Traditional Swedish variations can be exotic. Beside the usual thin pancakes, called pannkakor, which resembles the French crêpes and, often served with whipped cream and jam, are traditionally eaten for lunch on Thursdays with pea soup, the Swedish cuisine has plättar which resemble tiny English pancakes, and are fried several at a time in a special pan. Others resemble German pancakes but include fried pork in the batter (fläskpannkaka); these are baked in the oven. Potato pancakes called raggmunk contain shredded raw potato, and may contain other vegetables (sometimes the pancake batter is omitted, producing rårakor). Raggmunk and rårakor are traditionally eaten with pork rinds and lingonberry jam. A special Swedish pancake is saffron pancake from Gotland, made with saffron and rice, baked in the oven. The Norwegian variety is commonly eaten for dinner, traditionally with different sorts of jams or sugar. It is common to add lemon juice to the sugar for extra taste. The pancakes are often served after a soup. Another special ``Swedish pancake´´ is the äggakaka (eggcake), also called skånsk äggakaka (scanian eggcake), it is almost like an ordinary Swedish pancake but it is a lot thicker and also a lot more difficult to make due to the risk of burning it. It is made in a frying pan and is about 1½ to 2 inches thick and is served with lingonberries and bacon.

Finnish pancakes greatly resemble "Plättar" and are called "Lettu", "Lätty", "Räiskäle" or "Ohukainen". In Finland pancakes are usually eaten as dessert with whipped cream and/or pancake-jam, sugar or vanilla ice-cream. In Finnish, "Lettu" and "Pannukakku" (literally "Pancake") have different meanings, the latter having structurally closer resemblance to hotcake, and baked in an oven instead of using a frying pan. Ålandspannkaka, Pancake of Åland, is an extra thick variety of oven-pancake that includes cardamom and either rice- or semonia porridge to the dough.

Icelandic crepe-like pancakes are called "pönnukaka", and smaller, thicker pancakes resembling North American pancakes are "lumma". The pancakes are usually a bit browner than the traditional Swedish ones. Pönnukaka are usually cooked on a special Icelandic pancake pan, which is made to get the pancake as thin as possible, and it is important to never wash the pan, not even with water. Pönnukaka are eaten with sugar, but if eaten at a café they might have ice cream instead. In Iceland, North American-style pancakes are cut in half and used as sandwich bread, similar to Icelandic flatbread.

Æbleskiver (Danish meaning apple slices (singular: æbleskive)) are traditional Danish pancakes in a distinctive shape of a sphere. Æbleskiver are cooked on the stove top by baking in a special cast iron pan with several hemispherical indentations. Batter is poured into the oiled indentations and as the æbleskiver begin to cook, they are turned with a knitting needle, skewer or fork to give the cakes their characteristic spherical shape. Æbleskiver are not sweet themselves but are traditionally served dipped in raspberry, strawberry, lingonberry or blackberry jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

East-Central and Eastern Europe[link]

Palacinky, Slovak pancakes

Hortobágyi palacsinta

Home-made naleśniki filled with sweet white cheese (Poland)

In Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia pancakes are called palatschinke, palačinka, and palacinka, respectively (plurals palatschinken, palačinky, palacinky). In Romania they are called clătită (plural clătite). In countries of former Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Bosnia) they are called palačinka (plural palačinke). In these languages, the word derives from Latin placenta, meaning cake. These pancakes are thin and filled with apricot, plum, lingonberry, strawberry or apple jam, chocolate sauce or hazelnut spread. Eurokrem, Nutella and Lino-Lada fillings are favorite amongst younger population. A traditional version includes filling pancakes with cheese, pouring yoghurt over them and then baking in an oven. Kaiserschmarrn is an Austrian pancake including raisins, almonds, apple jam or small pieces of apple, split into pieces and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

In Hungary, pancakes called palacsinta (also derived from Latin placenta) are made from flour, milk or soda water, sugar and eggs. Sweet wine is added to the batter. The filling is usually jam, sugared and ground walnuts or poppy seeds, sugared cottage cheese, sugared cocoa or cinnamon powder, but – especially in hortobágyi palacsinta – meat and mushroom fillings are also used. Gundel palacsinta is an Hungarian pancake, stuffed with walnuts, zest, raisins and rum, served in chocolate sauce. The dish is often flambéed. Hungarian pancakes are served as a main dish or as a dessert.

In Poland, thin crêpe-style pancakes are called naleśniki (pronounced naleshniki). Like any crêpe or blintz, they can be served with a variety of savory or sweet fillings as a main dish or a dessert. Sweet fillings include fresh fruits (e.g. bilberries), jams, and soft white cheese with sugar. Savory fillings include fried vegetables, fried chicken, minced meat, and a variety of added ingredients such as potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, or ham. The Polish pancake was adopted by the Russian and the Ukrainian cuisines, which call them nalesniki.^[17]

In Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, pancakes may be breakfast food, appetizer, main course, or even dessert. Blintzes (Russian: блинчики blinchiki) are thin crepes made without yeast. Blini (Russian: блины) are thicker pancakes made from wheat or buckwheat flour, butter, eggs, and milk, with yeast added to the batter. Blini cooking has a long history in Russia, dating back to pagan traditions and feasts, which are reflected in today's "pancake week" celebrated in the winter before the Great Lent. Small thick pancakes made from yogurt or buttermilk based batter (without yeast) are called oladyi (оладьи) (diminutive: oladushki оладушки, further abbreviated as ladushki ладушки).

Greece and Cyprus[link]

Greek pancakes are called tiganites (τηγανίτες, from ancient Greek τηγανίτης) and are popular all over Greece and Cyprus. They are slightly thicker than crêpes and can be sweet or savory. Their main ingredients are flour, olive oil or butter, milk and eggs. They are usually drizzled with honey and cinnamon, and sometimes topped with cheese, nuts, fruits or vegetables. Various small shops in Cyprus sell crepes, called creperies either savory or sweet varieties. Tiganites can be served for breakfast or dessert, and in some places like Corfu, Patras are customarily served in the feast days of Saint Spyridon and Saint Andrew. In Cyprus the pancake recipe is used for a similar dish such as Genoese canelloni -- ground meat with tomato sauce, cheese, and sometimes bechamel sauce -- instead of the traditional canelloni dried pasta sold at supermarkets.

United Kingdom and Ireland[link]

Scotch pancake and fruit pikelet

English pancakes have three key ingredients: plain flour, eggs, and milk. The batter is runny and forms a thin layer on the bottom of the frying pan when the pan is tilted. It may form some bubbles during cooking, which results in a pale pancake with dark spots where the bubbles were, but the pancake does not rise. English pancakes are similar to French crêpes, and Italian crespelle, but are not "lacy" in appearance. They may be eaten as a sweet dessert with the traditional topping of lemon juice and sugar, drizzled with golden syrup, or wrapped around savory stuffings and eaten as a main course. On Shrove Tuesday, it is custom to eat pancakes, when lemon juice may be added to top the pancake. Yorkshire pudding is made from a similar recipe, but baked instead of fried. This batter rises because the air beaten into the batter expands, without the need for baking powder; the result is eaten as part of the traditional roast beef dinner. Oatcakes are a savory variety of pancake particularly associated with Staffordshire.

Scotch pancakes (or Scottish pancakes) are more like the American type and are served as such. In Scotland they are also referred to as drop scones or dropped scones.^[18][19][20] They are made from flour, eggs, sugar, buttermilk or milk, salt, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar.^[18][19][20] Smaller than American or English pancakes at about 3.5 in / 9 cm in diameter, they are made by the traditional method of dropping batter onto a griddle (a girdle in Northumberland or in Scots). They can be served with jam and cream or just with butter. In Scotland pancakes are generally served at teatime.

Welsh pancakes, known as crempog, ffroes and other names, vary considerably. Some are very much like American pancakes, others may be made with yeast (called crempog furum) or oatmeal (although this is also true of American pancakes) and some are like scotch pancakes.^[21][22]

Crumpets and pikelets are sometimes considered a variety of pancake.

Spain[link]

Frixuelos.

Spanish pancakes are called Frixuelos or Filloas and are very popular in the north-west of Spain. They are made from flour, milk, and eggs (sometimes they also use blood). They are thin pancakes and are usually served with a large amount of sugar or honey. They are a typical Carnival sweet dessert in Galicia, Asturias and León. Those with blood are typical of the pig slaughter feast.

North America[link]

North Americans at times garnish pancakes with fruits like banana.

Stacks of "silver dollar" pancakes.

American or Canadian pancakes (sometimes called hotcakes, griddlecakes, or flapjacks) are pancakes that contain a raising agent such as baking powder; proportions of eggs, flour, and milk or buttermilk create a thick batter. Many recipes remind the reader that the ingredients should be mixed until they are just combined, even if lumps remain, as the lumps will smoothen out during the cooking process.^[23][24] Sugar and spices such as cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg are sometimes added. The pancakes can be made sweet or savory by adding ingredients such as blueberries, strawberries, cheese, bananas, apples or chocolate chips to the batter. This batter is ladled or poured onto a hot surface, and spreads to form a circle about ¼ or ⅓ inch (1 cm) thick. The raising agent causes bubbles to rise to the uncooked side, before the pancake is flipped. These pancakes, very light in texture, are usually served at breakfast topped with maple syrup, butter, jam, peanut butter, nuts, fruit and/or honey. Pancakes may be served with a bit of powdered sugar and whipped cream, or with cane syrup or molasses instead of syrup or honey. Some pancake recipes use yogurt to give the pancakes a semi-thick, relatively moist consistency.

Johnnycake (also spelled "jonnycake," johnny cake, and "journey cake") or Johnny Bread is a cornmeal flatbread that was an early American staple food, and is still eaten in the West Indies and Bermuda.^[25] The modern johnnycake is stereotypically identified with today's "Rhode Island" foods, though jonnycakes are a cultural staple in all of the northern US.^[26] A modern jonnycake is fried cornmeal gruel, which is made from yellow or white cornmeal mixed with salt and hot water or milk, and frequently lightly sweetened.

Yaniqueques or yanikeke are a Dominican Republic version of the jonnycake. They are a fried bread rather than a pancake and are a popular beach food.^[27][28]

Sourdough was used by prospectors and pioneers to make sourdough pancakes without having to buy yeast. Prospectors would carry a pot of sourdough to make pancakes and bread as it could last indefinitely, needing only flour and water to replenish it.^[29] Sourdough pancakes are now a particular speciality in Alaska.^[30]

A flapjack is a thick small pancake, generally around 10 cm in diameter. Flapjacks are often served in a stack with syrup and butter, which can be accompanied by bacon. The terms pancake and flapjack are often confused and today in the US are nearly synonymous. The Oxford English Dictionary records the word flapjack as being used as early as the beginning of the 17th century, referring to a flat tart or pan-cake. Shakespeare refers to pancakes in All's Well That Ends Well and to flap-jacks in Pericles, Prince of Tyre:^[31]

"Come, thou shant go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome."

Act II Scene I

The word elements: flap- meaning a tossed mixture and jack, an uncertain word suggesting a variety, imply any ingredients could be called a flapjack.

A silver dollar pancake refers to a pancake about two to three inches (5 to 7 cm) in diameter, or just a bit bigger than the pre-1979 silver dollar coins in the United States, for which they are named. It is usually made by frying a small spoonful of the same batter as any other pancake. One serving is usually five to ten silver dollar pancakes.

German Pancakes or Dutch baby pancakes served in American pancake houses are bowl-shaped. They are eaten with lemons and powdered sugar, jam, or caramelized apples, as well as fritters. A David Eyre's pancake is a variation on the German pancake named for the American writer and editor David W. Eyre (1912–2008).

Mexican hotcakes are similar to US pancakes. Hotcakes are often made with cornmeal — as well as, or instead of wheat flour. Hotcakes are popular breakfast items at restaurants throughout the country, and are often sold by street vendors in cities and during the local celebrations of towns through the day; the vendors sell a single hotcake topped with different sauces such as condensed milk, fruit jam or a sweet goat milk spread called "cajeta".

Guatemalan pancakes are called Panqueques. They are made with the same ingredients as US pancakes. The toppings are usually fruits and honey. They are a very popular breakfast meal in Guatemala. Depending on where you are in the country, the "Panqueque" can be thin as a "Crêpe" or as fluffy as a North American pancake.

Asia[link]

Uttapam, an Indian(Tamil) style pancake.

Serabi

Dosa, prepared and served at a restaurant in Guntur, India.

Bánh xèo, a style of Vietnamese pancakes.

Banana pancakes are a menu item in Western-oriented backpackers' cafes in Asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, and China. This has elicited the term Banana Pancake Trail.

Chinese pancakes may be either savory or sweet, and are generally made with dough rather than batter.

In India the Pooda (sometimes called Cheela) is a pancake. They can be made either sweet or salty and are of different thicknesses in different places. They are made in a frying pan and are of a similar batter as their European counterparts

Dosa, Appam, Neer dosa and Uttapam could be said to be other Indian pancakes. They are prepared by fermenting rice batter and split skinned urad bean (black lentil) blended with water. What Punjabis call a meetha pooda are a common breakfast food item in the Punjab. It is a sweet pancake which can be eaten with pickles and chutney. Most of the pithas in Assam are types of pancakes served on occasions such as Bihu. In most parts of India there is a sweet pancake called malpua served.

The Indonesian pancake serabi is made from rice flour and coconut milk.

In Japan, okonomiyaki are made from flour, egg, cabbage and a choice of ingredients.

In Korea, pancakes include jeon, pajeon, bindaetteok, kimchijeon, and hotteok.

In Malaysia and Singapore, There is also another version, eaten by Malays, called apam balik which replaces the filling with sweet corn and condensed milk.

In Nepal, the Newar have a savory rice pancake called chataamari cooked with meat or eggs on top. In the Philippines, pancakes or "hotcakes" are also served with syrup (maple or imitation corn syrup) margarine and sugar or condensed milk. They are served for breakfast, but there are street stalls that sell smaller hotcakes topped with margarine and sugar as an afternoon snack.

In Vietnamese cuisine there is a variety of traditional pancakes; these include bánh xèo and bánh khọt in southern Vietnam, and bánh căn and bánh khoái in central Vietnam.

Australia and New Zealand[link]

In Australia and New Zealand, small pancakes (about 75 mm in diameter) known as pikelets are also eaten. They are traditionally served with jam and/or whipped cream, or solely with butter, at afternoon tea, but can also be served at morning tea. They are made with milk, self-raising flour, eggs, and a small amount of icing sugar.^{[citation needed]}

In some circles in New Zealand, very thin, crêpe-like or UK pancake-like pancakes (around 20 cm in diameter) are known as "flapjacks". The name may derive from their thinness, making them more likely to "flap". They are traditionally served with butter, or butter and lemon, possibly something sweet, and then rolled up and eaten.^{[citation needed]}

American-style pancakes are also popular in Australasia. They are eaten for breakfast or as a dessert, with lemon juice and sugar, butter and maple syrup, stewed fruits such as strawberries and cream, ice cream or mascarpone.^{[citation needed]}

Africa[link]

This meal, consisting of injera and several kinds of wat or tsebhi (stew), is typical of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine.

"Pancakes" in the Horn of Africa region (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia) are known as injera (sometimes transliterated enjera; Oromo: budenaa; Somali: canjeero). Injera is a yeast-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. Traditionally made out of teff flour, it is a national dish in Ethiopia and Eritrea. A similar variant is eaten in Somalia (where it is called canjeero or lahooh) and Yemen (where it is known as lahoh). In Eritrea and Ethiopia, a variety of stews, known as wat, sometimes salads (during Ethiopian Orthodox fasting, for which believers abstain from most animal products) or simply more injera (called injera firfir), are placed upon the injera for serving. Using one's right hand, small pieces of injera are torn and used to grasp the stews and salads for eating. The injera under these stews soaks up the juices and flavours of the foods and, after the stews and salads are gone, this bread is also consumed. Injera is thus simultaneously food, eating utensil, and plate. When the entire "tablecloth" of injera is gone, the meal is over.

Pancakes in South Africa refer to crepes. They are traditionally prepared by the Afrikaans community on gas stoves, and called a pannekoek in Afrikaans, eaten on wet and cold days. Pannekoeke are served with cinnamon-flavored sugar (and sometimes lemon juice); the sugar may be left to dissolve onto the pancake; if eaten immediately the pancake is crispy. It is a staple at Dutch Reformed Church fetes.^[32] American-style "silver dollar" pancakes are eaten in South Africa, as "plaatkoekies" or "flapjacks". In South Africa, there is a variation of the pancake called a crumpet. It is made from self-raising flour, eggs, milk and a pinch of salt. The smooth batter is fried in butter resulting in a slightly raised flat cake. Crumpets are always served hot, usually for breakfast, with butter and golden syrup.

In Kenya, pancakes are eaten for breakfast as an alternative to bread. They are served plain with the sugar already added to the batter to sweeten them. Kenyan pancakes are similar to English pancakes and French crepes. In Uganda, pancakes are locally made with bananas (one of the staple foods of the country) and usually served as a breakfast or as a snack option.

Pancake restaurant chains[link]

An IHOP restaurant in Poughkeepsie, New York

In the US, Mexico and Canada, a franchised restaurant chain named International House of Pancakes (IHOP) has restaurants serving pancakes at all hours of the day. The Original Pancake House is another chain of pancake restaurants across the US, and Walker Brothers is a series of pancake houses in the Chicago area that developed as a franchised spin-off of The Original Pancake House.

The popularity of pancakes in Australia has spawned the Pancake Parlour and Pancakes on the Rocks franchised restaurants. In British Columbia and Alberta, the restaurant chain De Dutch serves Dutch and Flemish-style pannenkoeken.

Pancake Day[link]

In Canada,^[33] the United Kingdom,^[34] Ireland,^[35] New Zealand, and Australia,^[36] pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as "Pancake Day" and, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, as "Pancake Tuesday". (Shrove Tuesday is better known in the United States, France and other countries as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.) Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday so that the last of the fatty and rich foods could be used up before Lent.

Charity and school events are organized on Pancake Day: in a "pancake race" each participant carries a pancake in a frying pan. All runners must toss their pancakes as they run and catch them in the frying pan. This event is said to have originated in Olney, England in 1444 when a housewife was still busy frying pancakes to eat before the Lenten fast when she heard the bells of St Peter and St Paul's Church calling her to the Shriving Service. Eager to get to church, she ran out of her house still holding the frying pan complete with pancake, and still wearing her apron and headscarf.^{[citation needed]} Pancake Day is widely celebrated in Australia.

Every Shrove Tuesday since 1950 the towns of Olney^[37] and Liberal, Kansas have competed in the International Pancake Race. Only local women may compete; they race, and their times are compared to determine the international winner. In Olney the main women's race is augmented by races for local schoolchildren and for men.

The Rehab UK Parliamentary Pancake Race takes place every Shrove Tuesday, with teams from the British lower house (the House of Commons), the upper house (the House of Lords), and the Fourth Estate, contending for the title of Parliamentary Pancake Race Champions. The fun relay race is to raise awareness of the work of the national brain injury charity, Rehab UK, and the needs of people with acquired brain injury. In 2009, the Lords won.^[38] The race was won by the Lower House in 2010, before the Upper House reclaimed the title in 2011.^[38]

See also[link]

Food portal

References[link]

• Albala, Ken (2008). Pancake: A Global History. Reaktion Books. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-86189-392-5. Uchicago.edu

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pancakes

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Pancake

• History of the Olney, England pancake race
• History of the pancake foodtimeline.org
• Video: "Blueberry Pancake Showdown", Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, January 2009

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2011)

Mac Lethal (born David McCleary Sheldon) is a rapper from Kansas City, Missouri, of Irish descent.

Biography[link]

Mac Lethal was born David McCleary Sheldon on July 25, 1981.^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, he won several rap battles against local emcees from rival Kansas City high schools,^[1] and began to generate a buzz amongst the very small, tightly knit Kansas City underground hip-hop community.^[1] Mac entered the emcee battle at Scribble Jam hip-hop festival in August 2001 and took second place in the finals. He returned in 2002 and won the competition, and took second place in 2004.^[1] Sage Francis would later take Mac on the F*ck Clear Channel Tour in 2004.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, Sheldon founded Black Clover Records with longtime friend Jeremy Willis.^{[citation needed]} Mac Lethal hosts Black Clover Radio Hour on the Kansas City alternative station 96.5 The Buzz. It has aired every Sunday night since 2006.^{[citation needed]}

In December 2011, Sheldon released a video on YouTube of him rapping over the beat to "Look At Me Now" while he prepares a dish of pancakes in his kitchen. The video became a viral hit and got millions of views in a matter of days and led to interviews on websites like CNN and the Washington Post.^[2]

Sheldon is also responsible for a Tumblr feed called "Texts From Bennett", in which he purports to divulge text message conversations between himself and his cousin Bennett. Although some have questioned whether or not Bennett is a real person, Mac insists that the conversations are 100% genuine.^[3]

In 2012, Sheldon worked with ad agency McKinney in Episode 1 of AMC Network's The Pitch. McKinney's winning campaign idea, "Freestyle Breakfast," features Sheldon rapping about the breakfast sandwich toppings available at SUBWAY restaurants. The episode also shows Sheldon freestyling at a meeting with SUBWAY's marketing team.

Albums[link]

Debut and early EPs[link]

After catching the attention of Hip Hop Infinity creator Jay Seagraves via his Moon Thinker EP, Mac Lethal released his debut album, Men Are From Mars, Porn Stars Are From Earth, through HHI Recordings, a record label offshoot of Seagraves' now defunct website. Mac Lethal followed with a mixtape titled The Love Potion Collection, which was originally sold through Hip Hop Infinity and came with a free copy of an early version of The Nine Situations EP. Included on The Love Potion Collection were two versions of "Pass the Ammo," an anti-war screed.^[4]

[edit] The Love Potion Collection

After signing to Minneapolis-based Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2004, Mac Lethal turned in what he thought was to be his debut album for that record label. However, following the death of his mother, he took a new approach to making music.^{[citation needed]} He scrapped that version of 11:11, releasing some tracks as the Love Potion Collection Volume 2, and began re-recording. In 2006, he released a third album in his Love Potion series, written while on tour in Canada with P.O.S. Love Potion Collection 4 contains songs that did not make it on the final Rhymesayers' released 11:11.^[5]

[edit] 11:11

Mac Lethal's Rhymesayers debut album, 11:11, was released on October 9, 2007.^[6] After going on tour with Atmosphere in late 2007, he embarked on another tour in support of the album in early 2008 with fellow Black Clover Records artist Grieves. His song "Sun Storm" from 11:11 was played on America's Best Dance Crew, and is currently Lethal's second most downloaded song on iTunes.

[edit] Irish Goodbye

Mac Lethal's album Irish Goodbye was released on the december 31, 2011.^[7] The album consists of 14 songs. Mac Lethal states that Irish goodbye means "you just leave the bar without telling anybody goodbye" and he explains that's what he is considering doing with his rap career in his song The Parlour. Lethal has released a fast rap after the release of Irish Goodbye which makes that unlikely. ^[8]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Men are from Mars, Porn Stars are from Earth (HHI Recording, 2002)
• 11:11 (Rhymesayers Entertainment, 2007)
• Irish Goodbye (Black Clover Records, 2011)

Mixtapes[link]

• The Love Potion Collection (Black Clover Records, 2003)
• The Love Potion Collection 2 (Black Clover Records, 2006)
• The Love Potion Collection 3 (Black Clover Records, 2006)
• The Love Potion Collection 4 (Black Clover Records, 2007)
• The Crown Prime Rib Mixtape (Black Clover Records, 2008)
• The Love Potion Collection 5 (Black Clover Records, 2009)
• Syntax presents Mac Lethal's Insomniac Stash Volume 1 (bootleg)
• Black Clover Presents Aged Barrel Series 1: Original 11:11 (Black Clover Records 2009)
• Black Clover Presents Aged Barrel Series 2: Moonthinker (Black Clover Records, 2009)
• Blood in the Water Mixtape (Black Clover Records, 2010)
• The Love Potion Collection 6 (Black Clover Records, 2010)
• North Korean BBQ (Black Clover Records, 2011)

EPs[link]

• Moon Thinker (produced by The R.E.) (2001)
• Nine Situations (produced by Nezbeats (2003)
• Women of Scribble Jam (vinyl) (2004)
• Digital Love Potion EP (2008)
• The Fred Phelps EP (2011)

Black Clover Special Reserve[link]

• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 1 (Black Clover Records 2008)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 2 (Black Clover Records 2008)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 3 (Black Clover Records 2008)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 4 (Black Clover Records 2009)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 5: Town (Black Clover Records 2009)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 6 (Black Clover Records 2009)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 7 (Black Clover Records 2009)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 8 (Black Clover Records 2009)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 9 (Black Clover Records 2009)
• Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 10 (Black Clover Records 2010)

Other appearances[link]

• A1 & Mac Lethal – Fall for Anything
• African-American Zombie Lawyer & Mac Lethal & NoCanDo – Watchmen
• Akream & Mac Lethal – Beautiful Skin
• Anti Crew & Mac Lethal – Keep Talking
• The Aztext & Mac Lethal – Our Kingdom
• Brokencyde & Mac Lethal – Get Crunk (Remix)
• Brokencyde & Mac Lethal - Fall Back
• Ces Cru & Mac Lethal - Guntitled
• Copywrite & Mac Lethal - White Democrats
• CunninLynguists & Mac Lethal – Broken Van
• CutThroat & Mac Lethal – Freak Show Anthem
• Day Laborers & Mac Lethal – Burn One
• Dez & Nobs feat. Mac Lethal - 4Trillion4
• Dylan Owen & Mac Lethal – Kiss My Ass Goodbye
• Eyenine & Mac Lethal – Sleep is for the Week
• Full Metal Chemist & Mac Lethal – Mental Chemist
• Gadzooks & Mac Lethal – Lethal Madness
• J Dirty & Mac Lethal – P.S.A
• Jabee & Mick Boogy & Mac Lethal – Live Like A Dream
• Jaze & Mac Lethal – Rap Song
• Jules Hykoo & Mac Lethal – Scram
• Justin Rent & Mac Lethal – Verses
• Main Offenders & Mac Lethal – Listen to Me Now
• Manic Obsessive & Mac Lethal – Ignant
• Max & Mac Lethal – The Rawness of the Sound
• MC Lars & Mac Lethal - The Giving Tree
• Nineteen Eighty Seven & Mac Lethal – You and Me Versus the World
• Nineteen Eighty Seven & Mac Lethal – You and Me Versus the World (3017 Remix)
• Noah23 & Mac Lethal - Foot Loose
• The Quintessential Homegrown & Mac Lethal – Erie Canal
• Sadistik & Mac Lethal – Ashes to Ashley
• SelfEv & Mac Lethal – Insignificant Other
• Slug & Mac lethal- Overkill * Soulcrate Music & Mac Lethal – Save a Horse, Kill a Cowboy
• Sole & Mac Lethal & B. Dolan- Fuck Wells Fargo
• Spose & Mac Lethal – I'm Awesome(Remix)
• Spott & Mac Lethal – Chained
• Taktikal Linguists & Mac Lethal – Take Me Back
• VHD & Mac Lethal – Snake Hiss
• Weatherproof & Mac Lethal - Metropolis
• Mac Lethal & Tha Grit - Brother David

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website