Sit thissen dahn an’ tek a piece o’ parkin

It’s turned ‘all Yorkshire’ in this house, what with the ‘wuthering’ weather and the batches of Parkin emerging from the oven!

Unable to wait until the traditional Bonfire Night and inspired by the dramatic turn of the weather, Colin has been baking Parkin. The principal ingredients of a Yorkshire parkin are flour, oatmeal, molasses and ginger. Oatmeal and black treacle were important constituents of the Northern, working-class diet in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, so it’s likely that Parkin evolved during the industrial revolution.

The real trick with Parkin is to make sure you leave it at least a week before eating – that way it will become much more moist and sticky than when it was first cooked. Originally it was kept in proper wooden Parkin boxes, probably under lock and key because our cake tin placed on a high shelf will not deter a determined Parkin seeker looking for sweet, sticky accompaniment to a reet proper brew! A week?  That’ll be reet!!