Welcome to our very first Blog Post!
We are excited to keep you up to date with all the happenings at your favourite British Store and muse a little about all-sorts, liquorice and otherwise!
As we welcome in November our minds are turning to all things cosy…
Warm fires, lovely walks amongst the autumn leaves, and best of all snuggling up with our favourite comfort foods, which, as I’m sure you’ll agree, our shop is best known for!
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We’ve been busy re-stocking our lovely Patrick King Wool blankets, perfect for these colder evenings, my own personal favourite is this gorgeous “Spirit of Ireland” Blanket, I just love the lush colours!
A Little History
November also brings Guy Fawkes Day,
I decided to do a little research on Mr. Fawkes, wondering just why he ends up atop those bonfires every year!
I learned that we have the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to thank for Bonfire night! Robert Catesby and his men, amongst them a name we have all come to know very well, Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. Fawkes and his men placed 36 barrels of gunpowder in the cellars underneath the Houses of Parliament, but a member of Fawkes group wrote to his friend who worked in Parliament and warned him to stay away on November 5th. (We all need friends like that!)
One of the Kings supporters got hold of that letter and the night before the planned attack. Fawkes was found in the cellar and taken into custody and their plot was rumbled!
Guards still perform a ceremonial search every year of the Parliament building to check for potential arsonists as part of the observance of Guy Fawkes Day.
I think holidays and traditions from our homeland become even more meaningful when we live a distance away and it can be nice to celebrate the occasions to help us feel closer to home and our heritage.
While we won’t be lighting any bonfires at the shop this year, we have decided to bake instead! Much safer… if we remember to set the timer 🙂
Parkin Cake!
Parkin cake originated in Yorkshire and is a sticky oat spice cake quite similar to Gingerbread. Made with oats and black treacle its chewy, comforting and delicious.
We used this lovely recipe from BBC Good Food https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/parkin
You can order the Oatmeal, Golden Syrup and Treacle right here! https://thewanderingscott.ca/product/lyles-golden-syrup-batter-together-325g/ https://thewanderingscott.ca/product/lyles-black-treacle-454g/
Other great uses for all that treacle you will have leftover are Treacle Tart, Bonfire Toffee, Sticky Belly Pork. All of these and loads more delicious recipes can be found on the BBC Good Food website linked above!
Whatever you are doing to celebrate Guy Fawkes this year, be it lighting a few sparklers or munching on a toffee apple, we wish you a safe and happy celebration.
Sources Cited:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15351828
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Guy-Fawkes-Day