God's Own County

Parkin and Gingerbread are two famous Yorkshire favourites with their own local recipes and variations. Which do you prefer? Perhaps like me are you partial to a bit of both?

Gingerbread distinguishes itself with golden syrup and brandy in a Wakefeild concoction that sounds almost too good to be true. In North Yorkshire the Startforth version of gingerbread in the book ”Yorkshire Teatime Recipes’ uses black treacle, brown sugar and a good pinch of bicarbonate of soda plus the usual suspects. Bi-carb dates from the 19th century when it was first used for aeration to produce light cakes.

Parkin is a Yorkshire favourite containing oats or oatmeal and in my favourite versions with far more ginger than in gingerbread. Sticky Parkin was made by my mother in law but I hanker for the fresh irresistible parkin made by my own mum. I can’t be waiting a week or so before sticky parkin has matured in a tin to become truly sticky.

Rhubarb Gingerbread has the normal attributes of it’s kind with the added attraction of a layer of crystallised ginger and rhubarb pieces like a rhubarb sandwich. Wakefield, the home of the rhubarb triangle, has its own local version of gingerbread worth tracking down in a local cafe.

I tried to drop subtle hints in the last paragraph combined with the absence of full recipes which could be found in the amazon book. Why bake yourself? Instead, enjoy yourself tracking down as many varieties of homemade gingerbread and parkin in tea rooms and cafes around the county. You could be in for a ‘reet treat’!

Ginger Sponge and ‘Soggy Moggy’  are variations on the theme which can combine elements the products above. I like a bit of plain cake containing a generous portion of dried ginger, I’ll leave the fresh ginger to others.

To go with custard, a good Ginger Pudding can’t be beaten especially if there is some golden syrup at the bottom of the pud. I don’t think I have ever had a ginger suet pudding but now there is an idea for the chef to ginger up desserts.

Yorkshire is a significant producer of eggs and chickens. It is also as humane as practical in the way it treats the flocks including some re-homing of aging birds.

The British Hen Welfare Trust have regional co-ordinators to help with ‘Hen Re-homing’ when the birds get past the age to lay eggs. All commercial laying hens are sent to slaughter at around 78 weeks old when their working life reaches an end unless they can be re-homed. The British Hen Welfare Trust work with schools and 92% of the hens they find homes for come from formerly caged birds not free range chickens. Very occasionally they take barn hens but supporters prefer to offer the old birds a life they previously didn’t enjoy.

Ikkle Chooks Yorkshire Rescue is a re-homing hub. for ex battery hens or ex-commercial hens, with a no cull policy. All rehomed birds are as pets not for commercial activity.

How Long Do Hens Live

• Birds grown for meat are culled at around 6 to 8 weeks
• Poultry producers slaughter battery hens or egg layers when they’re between one and three years old. This is when the cost of egg production out weighs the income from egg sales.
• Free range or garden birds can live beyond 5 years.
• One of the oldest pet hens was 16 years old when it passed away. Age for a pet hen will depend on the care provided and the breed.
• The average life of an ex-battery hen could be from two to 12 months as they are about worn out from high egg production when they are 72 weeks old.
• ‘Free from harm’ a USA charity reports ‘Male chicks born to egg-laying hens can not lay eggs, and are not the breed used for meat …. so they are worthless to the egg industry’ and are disposed of as soon after birth as possible.  The RSPCA says ‘meat chickens are bred to grow large breast muscle and legs  but surplus newly hatched chicks (including males bred for egg laying) that are destined for disposal must be treated as humanely ….. they must be destroyed promptly by a recommended humane method such as carbon dioxide gassing or quick maceration. ‘