Bakewell Tart or Pudding?

The original Bakewell Pudding Shop

Until I moved to Yorkshire and started to look into the history and traditions of the region and the neighbouring counties I hadn't realised that there were differing opinions as to the question - what constitutes an authentic Bakewell Tart?  I thought that a Bakewell Tart was a small cake with a pastry base, almond and jam filling, a top layer of soft icing and finished off with a glace cherry. This was commercially produced by a certain famous company and sold in packs of six or eight in my local supermarket.
In fact, this version of the recipe is only one type of the tea time treat.  Bakewell claims to be the home of an older version called the Bakewell Pudding which is more like a medium sized jam tart than an individual cake.

The story goes that sometime in the 1860s a Mrs Graves, Mistress of the local inn (now called The Rutland Arms), was asked to provide a strawberry tart by a visiting nobleman.  The inexperienced kitchen assistant produced something different from the original recipe, but it was such a success that another local woman took the opportunity to produce the pudding and set up a business of her own.  The secret recipe was handed down and it eventually fell into the hands of a Mr Bloomer. There's still a shop in Bakewell selling Bloomers Original Bakewell Puddings, but there are several other old establishments that claim to sell the original pudding and the tart.

Needless to say, Bakewell caters for the many visitors who are attracted to the town because of its quintessential Englishness by providing many coffee shops and tea rooms. Naturally, I had to do some 'research' of my own regarding this story and, being fair minded, went to the 'rival' shops selling their tempting-looking products of tarts and puddings and other sweet treats and bought some cakes to take home.

The Bakewell Pudding and other sweet treats

A Celebration sized Bakewell Tart!

The Rutland Arms where the pudding was first produced

Bloomer's Shop

           Tea in the garden.  

A Bakewell Pudding or a Bakewell Tart?  There are lemon and coconut ones just to confuse the choice!

June celebrations (2)

Yesterday we spent an enjoyable day in Bakewell in the Derbyshire Dales.

The River Wye is one of the waterways that meanders through this area of Derbyshire, so there are pleasant walks along its banks. Bakewell market was established in 1254 and the town developed as a trading centre.  When natural springs were discovered in the area it became something of a spa town and small mills were established in the area.  The water mills have now been restored as eating places and centres for local artisans and there is still a weekly market.  Bakewell is also known worldwide as a place for 'foodies' as it's famous for the place where the Bakewell Pudding/Tart was created; (more about that another time).  Despite the numbers of visitors to the town, it still remains an unspoilt and charming town.

View from the weir bridge

After wandering around the town we had lunch in one of the converted mill complexes where the restaurant had a menu of modern-style Italian/Mediterranean food before driving back home through the varied landscape of the hills and dales in the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District Park and the country lanes of south Yorkshire.

Practising new skills!

I enjoy taking photographs and have been inspired by the images produced by other enthusiasts.  I joined a photography course earlier in the year and had a lot of fun in the workshops.  I learnt some new skills with my small digital camera and was encouraged to look at a subject with an eye for an unusual composition.

I do admire photographers that can sit for hours waiting to take a few shots of an elusive animal and produce some stunning images as a result, so this is my latest challenge! However, plenty of time and patience are important when it comes to taking moving creatures!

Here are some photos of the foxgloves that have multiplied rapidly in the garden that were grown from seed. They were supposed to be mainly white, but it's not surprising that a lot of the ordinary pink ones took over instead.  However, they do create a certain 'cottage garden' look to the border.