The one day of the year when it’s perfectly acceptable to throw food around the kitchen is finally here.
People up and down the country have stocked up on chocolate spread, bananas, lemons and sugar for Pancake Day 2016.
For 24 hours, amateur chefs will be whisking up eggy, milky, pancakey treats for the friends and family.
With the nation’s collective palates already watering at the thought, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide for you to enjoy the marvellous invention.
Do you go savoury or sweet? How long should you fry them for? When should you toss it?
If you don’t want to find yourself scraping burnt batter off the bottom of a pan – or worse, the ceiling – then follow these handy tips.

What is Shrove Tuesday?
Shrove Tuesday is the day that precedes Ash Wednesday. As it is determined by Easter, for which the actual date changes on an annual basis.
The name Shrove Tuesday comes from shrive, meaning absolution for sins by doing penance.
The day gets its name from the tradition of Christians trying to be ‘shriven’ before Lent.
Pancake came much later as a way of using up rich foods, like eggs, milk and sugar before the 40 days of fasting – Lent.

Why pancakes?
Pancakes are now forever associated with Shrove Tuesday as it is a sort of all-in-one way of using up some fatty foods before Lent.
Eggs, milk and sugar aren’t traditionally eaten in fasting season, so need to be scoffed beforehand.
And if milk and eggs aren’t enough of a treat then there are an endless conveyor belt of toppings you can choose to eat your pancakes with.
Whether it’s chocolate spread, lemon juice and sugar, maple syrup or even goats cheese and butternut squash, there’s loads of different recipes to tickle those tastebuds.

What is the best recipe?
Egg free, gluten free, veggie or how about the decidedly boozy cointreau ones?
You can have them in thousands of different ways.
There’s the simple flour, milk and two egg variety or the more exotic buttermilk and maple apple and pecan nuts version.
Luckily we’ve called in an expert – Anthony Barnes, executive chef at Cardiff’s Marriott Hotel – to provide us with a step by step guide in how to rustle them up.

How to make the perfect pancake
However you choose to enjoy your pancakes, you will need to following key ingredients:

• 200g/7oz plain flour
• 350-400ml/12-14fl oz milk, or ½ milk ½ water for a a thinner, lighter pancake
• 2 large eggs to be lightly whisked
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• A pinch of salt
• And vegetable oil for frying your delicious pancakes (serves four)

When is pancake day?
Pancake Day 2016 is Tuesday February 9.