East Frisia is the German region associated with the New Year’s Eve pancake-like dish Speckendicken.
Speckendicken are hearty, often slightly sweet pancakes traditionally made with rye, wheat, or buckwheat flour, syrup, eggs, and spices. Savoury versions contain strips of bacon and slices of dried Mettwurst sausage. They may be cooked in a frying pan or a special waffle iron.
The custom is especially strong in southern East Frisia, where families prepare the dish around December 31. The local Low German name Dickebuuksavend—“evening of full bellies”—reflects how rich and filling the food is. Some versions include raisins, showing the dish’s sweet-and-savoury range.
A common mix-up is Groningen in the Netherlands, just across the border. Groningen has a closely related dish called spekdik, but Speckendicken in this German regional context points to East Frisia.