Just days after one batter based British tradition another, more established one, comes along. Hurrah! February must be the month for them. It was only right that for Laura’s lesson this week we should make pancakes, and invite lots of people round to eat them with us in what was to be know as “Pancake Hour (and ten minutes)”. What a brilliant night. After a shady start and a few mis-flips cleverly rebranded as “Pancake Tapas” by Laura, we were rocking. I can’t believe Laura had never made pancakes before! By the 43rd minute she had three on the go at once. Woop!

So from 6.30pm the race for the title of Mr or Mrs Pancake 2008 was on. With a point for every pancake that was finished and a price of an old wooden spoon from our drawer there was a lot to play for. The atmosphere was tense.

A variety of fillings were on offer, the traditional lemon and sugar, maple syrup, ice cream, bananas, nutella, and a few savoury options, cheese, hummous, salad, cream cheese, mushrooms and my favourite, salad cream. Mmm. The clever ones with an eye on the spoon trophy went for simpler fillings, just a squeeze of syrup maybe, while others aiming for quality rather than quantity went for a fuller savoury pancake.

After only a few minutes Kat made the mistake of declaring she was going to win, while at the same time going for some mighty combinations of fillings. After the 8th her game was up and she had to go for a walk. To be sick in the neighbours hedge no doubt. Only kidding, she would never do that.

Carl decided savoury pancakes were the way forward and enjoyed some fine looking combinations of the various fillings. He soon found himself full, satisfied, but out of the competition.

John made up some excuse about being allergic to dairy products and was spotted eating pork pies by the piano.

By 7.40 it was all over. All that was to be done was for referee and official pancake counter Steph to add up the scores. A total of 58 pancakes were consumed, averaging nearly one per minute. Wow.

Here are the final results:

Mark – a good effort – 5 pancakes
Kat – she went too fast from the start and had to retire early, but a very respectable 8 pancakes
Carl – quality, not quantity – 3 pancakes
Hannah – 3 pancakes and pancake tapas said “it’s not about the competition, it’s about us all being together.” Aww.
Nell – quietly and amazingly managed 10 pancakes!
Matt – a respectable 5
Steph – it seems to be a popular amount – 5 pancakes
Laura – busy flippin – 1 pancake
Leanne – mostly filled only with salad cream – 6
Andy – he just can’t help himself – 11
John – 2 pork pies, salad and one pancake

So the crowned champion and winner of title of Mr Pancake 2008 was Andy. In a post match interview the ever modest contestant said , “The competition was good, but in the end there was only ever going to be one winner”. Runner up Nell said, “What can I say? I f*#*!#g LOVE pancakes!” Don’t we all.

Carl and his Pancake

“That was one too many” Kat

“I’m just soo excited!” Nell

Winner and Super Chef

Making pancake tapas

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY05dunpMl4[/youtube]

But then by the end… super pancake flipping action!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R5FtKq8h94[/youtube]