Rosie Danagher, Grasmere Gingerbread® Tourism Marketing & Heritage Manager with the new Hawkshead Whig Fudge
THE largely forgotten 18th century ritual of eating Hawkshead Whig Bread at Christmas is being resurrected in the picturesque Lakeland village which gave the iconic loaf its name.
However, Grasmere Gingerbread® is giving this age-old culinary treat a buttery sweet 21st century makeover.
Its new Hawkshead Whig Fudge confectionery pays homage to the eponymous bread that was reputedly enjoyed by poet William Wordsworth when a pupil at Hawkshead Grammar School.
Flavoured with toasted caraway seeds – which have a distinctive flavour of sweet aniseed – the new Hawkshead Whig Fudge is exclusively made for Grasmere Gingerbread® by Country Flavour of Kirkby Stephen.
“The traditional Cumbrian ‘pantry’ – which was shaped by West Cumbria’s pivotal role in the international spice trade – continues to give us so much inspiration for new foods,” explained Joanne Hunter, Co-Director of Grasmere Gingerbread®.
“We are launching Hawkshead Whig Fudge at this year’s Hawkshead Christmas Market – 5th and 6th December – in a nod to the traditional festive provenance of Hawkshead Whig Bread.
Hawkshead Christmas Fair
“Customers visiting our shop on the corner of Main Street can enjoy free samples and let us know their thoughts but the feedback from our tasting focus group has been very positive and enthusiastic.
“Tasting the fudge took me back to childhood because we ate Hawkshead Whig Bread with crispy bacon and also jam and marmalade.
“I remember a round-shaped white loaf which we tore into wedge-shaped pieces.”
Interestingly, a similar Teutonic word to Whig means wedge.
It is thought that the Old Norse word Whig was linked to the god Wigga and Whig bread was offered up in worship.
Hawkshead was a Viking settlement and its name is derived from the Norse words ‘Haukr’s saetr’ meaning ‘summer grazing place’.
Caraway seeds were enjoyed by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans for their digestive properties
In the 18th century, Hawkshead Whig Bread was a mainstay of Christmas meals and also enjoyed at other family gatherings and celebratory occasions.
Hawkshead Whig (bread)
Old School Treacle Toffee
After the successful launch earlier this year of Sarah Nelson’s Old School Toffee – a hard buttery confectionery – Grasmere Gingerbread® has created a sweet sequel.
Sarah Nelson’s Old School Treacle Toffee melts in the mouth and leaves an aftertaste of rich molasses.
Again, made for Grasmere Gingerbread® by Country Flavour, it epitomises the ethos of harmonious collaboration with other local family businesses in Cumbria and the Lake District.
“Country Flavour make all our fudges and toffee and everyone there is absolutely lovely to deal with - professionally and personally,” said Joanne Hunter.