When is a Pancake Not a Pancake?

Gastropod

Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

Arts, Science, History, Food

4.7 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2026

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We aren't afraid to ask the big questions here at Gastropod, such as: what exactly is a pancake? If you think you know the answer, prepare to have your mind blown. It turns out the sweet, syrup-covered stack of American breakfast fame are far from the only members of the pancake family—and there are some truly controversial cakes in the wider pan family. Speaking of controversy: if you've made instant pancakes from a certain famous mix, you might not realize the racist history behind it. Join us for the shocking story of Aunt Jemima, stay for the great pancake debate, and don't blame us if you end up craving something flattish, fluffy, and floppy for your next meal! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What a breakfast, what a breakfast.
0:06.6	International House of Pancakes, what a breakfast, what a breakfast!
0:10.8	Your house of pancakes makes!
0:12.9	International House of Pancakes, one of the great American contributions to world cuisine.
0:17.4	No comment.
0:18.5	But I do strongly agree that pancakes make a stupendous breakfast,
0:23.5	or lunch, or even dinner. And pancakes are what we'll be serving up this episode of Gastropod.
0:28.7	That's right. You're listening to Gastropod, the podcast that looks at food through the lens of
0:32.2	science and history. I'm Cynthia Graber. And I'm Nicola Twilly. And this episode, there's a lot to
0:36.9	digest as we tackle
0:38.5	shocking allegations that Latkus and Yorkshire puddings are actually pancakes. Yes,
0:45.6	you heard me correctly. I know, I know that battle is still to come. It all boils down,
0:50.2	though, to that age-old question that I know you all have spent years pondering. What makes
0:55.2	a pancake a pancake? Moving from the philosophical to the historical, we get to the bottom of why
1:01.3	anyone would want to put an image of a blackface minstrel show character on a box of what became
1:06.7	America's most popular pancake mix. All that, plus what should really be on the menu at the
1:12.0	International House of Pancakes, here's a hint. It's not what they've got now, and the
1:16.2	pancakes are not something you'd want to top with syrup. This episode is supported in part
1:20.3	by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for the Public Understanding of Science, Technology, and
1:24.4	economics. Gastropod is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network in partnership
1:29.1	with Eter.
1:33.4	I got in the water in the very early morning before the sun had risen, and the water was pitch black.
	...

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