Parkin

Parkin is a gingerbread cake traditionally made with oatmeal and black treacle, which originated in Northern England. Often associated with Yorkshire, it is widespread and popular elsewhere, notably in Lancashire. Parkin is baked to a hard cake but with resting becomes moist and even sometimes sticky. There are regional differences, for example in Hull and East Yorkshire, it has a drier, more biscuit-like texture than in other areas whereas in Lancashire it is generally made with golden syrup rather than the treacle used elsewhere. Parkin is traditionally eaten on Guy Fawkes Night, 5 November, and when celebrating 'Yorkshire Day' on 1 August. But is also enjoyed throughout the winter months. It is baked commercially throughout Yorkshire, but is mainly a domestic product in other areas. The origin of the word parkin is unknown. The first published dated reference to parkin was collected from 1728 from the West Riding of Yorkshire Quarter Sessions when Anne Whittaker was accused of stealing oatmeal to make parkin. The Lancashire schoolmaster and poet Tim Bobbin describes tharf cake in 1740, and this is recognisable as a parkin. A possible older use of parkin is in the seventeenth century ballad "The song of Arthur O'Bradley" that purports to describe a merry wedding from the time of Robin Hood

Source: Wikipedia