Kendal mint cake
Encyclopedia
Kendal Mint Cake is a glucose
-based confectionery flavoured with peppermint
. It originates from Kendal
in Cumbria
, England. Kendal Mint Cake is said to be popular among climbers
and mountaineers
, especially those from the United Kingdom, as a source of energy.
. There are currently three companies that still produce Kendal mint cake in Kendal.
Romney's was founded in 1918 and used an old recipe
to create Mint Cake. This Mint Cake was sold in Kendal and sent by train
to other areas of the north west for sale. In 1987, Romney's bought Wiper's Mint Cake from Harry Wiper, who had inherited ownership of Wiper's in 1960 when his father died.
, but he decided to concentrate on mint cake. In 1966, the firm moved to its current location in the Cross Lane area of Kendal. Wilson's is currently licensed to sell a Beatrix Potter
range of sweets
.
The factory is currently run by the grandson of James, Andrew Wilson and Mint Cake is no longer the major product of the company as chocolate confectionary takes up 90% of orders.
Quiggin's Mint Cake is the oldest surviving mint cake company. The Quiggin family had been making confectionery
since 1840 in the Isle of Man
and when one of the four sons moved to Kendal in 1880, the mint cake company was formed.
In the BBC TV programme the Great British Menu
Series Five, Lisa Allen visited Quiggin's factory and used Quiggin's Kendal Mint Cakes in her Strawberries with Meringue & Kendal Mint Cake Water Ice dessert.
There are numerous types of Mint Cake that are now available. Mint Cake made with white sugar, Mint Cake made with brown sugar
, and Mint Cake enrobed
in chocolate
are the three most popular varieties.
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
-based confectionery flavoured with peppermint
Peppermint
Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world...
. It originates from Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England. Kendal Mint Cake is said to be popular among climbers
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
and mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, especially those from the United Kingdom, as a source of energy.
History
Kendal Mint Cake was first developed in 1869 by Joseph Wiper, who began producing it in his small Kendal factory. It is thought that the discovery was a mistake, and that Wiper was in fact attempting to make clear "glacier" mints. Wiper founded Wiper's Mint Cake. Kendal Mint Cake is well known to mountaineers and explorers for its high energy contentFood energy
Food energy is the amount of energy obtained from food that is available through cellular respiration.Food energy is expressed in food calories or kilojoules...
. There are currently three companies that still produce Kendal mint cake in Kendal.
Romney's
Recipe
A recipe is a set of instructions that describe how to prepare or make something, especially a culinary dish.-Components:Modern culinary recipes normally consist of several components*The name of the dish...
to create Mint Cake. This Mint Cake was sold in Kendal and sent by train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
to other areas of the north west for sale. In 1987, Romney's bought Wiper's Mint Cake from Harry Wiper, who had inherited ownership of Wiper's in 1960 when his father died.
Wilson's
Wilson's Mint Cake was founded in 1913, when James Wilson purchased a factory in the Stricklandgate area of the town. He had previously made and distributed types of toffeeToffee
Toffee is a confection made by caramelizing sugar or molasses along with butter, and occasionally flour. The mixture is heated until its temperature reaches the hard crack stage of 300 to 310 °F...
, but he decided to concentrate on mint cake. In 1966, the firm moved to its current location in the Cross Lane area of Kendal. Wilson's is currently licensed to sell a Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Born into a privileged Unitarian...
range of sweets
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
.
The factory is currently run by the grandson of James, Andrew Wilson and Mint Cake is no longer the major product of the company as chocolate confectionary takes up 90% of orders.
Quiggin's
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
since 1840 in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and when one of the four sons moved to Kendal in 1880, the mint cake company was formed.
In the BBC TV programme the Great British Menu
Great British Menu
Great British Menu is a BBC television series in which top British chefs compete for the chance to cook one course of a four course banquet. The first series banquet was for the Queen on her 80th birthday. The second series was to cook for the British Ambassador to France at the British Embassy...
Series Five, Lisa Allen visited Quiggin's factory and used Quiggin's Kendal Mint Cakes in her Strawberries with Meringue & Kendal Mint Cake Water Ice dessert.
Manufacturing process
Kendal Mint Cake is made from sugar, glucose, water and peppermint oil. Although the exact recipe and way of manufacturing Mint Cake is kept secret, it is known that it is created in the following way:- The sugar, glucose, water and peppermint oilPeppermintPeppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world...
are boiled in a copper pan. - The mixture is continuously stirred (without stirring, the resultant product would be clear).
- The mixture is then poured into moulds and allowed to set, after which it is broken into individual bars.
There are numerous types of Mint Cake that are now available. Mint Cake made with white sugar, Mint Cake made with brown sugar
Brown sugar
Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses content, or it is produced by the addition of molasses to refined white...
, and Mint Cake enrobed
Enrober
An enrober is a machine used in the confectionery industry to coat a food item with a coating medium, typically chocolate. Foods coated by enrobers include nuts, ice cream, toffee and other miscellaneous candy items, biscuits and cookies. Enrobing is essentially a mechanized form of hand-dipping...
in chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
are the three most popular varieties.
Notable uses
Kendal Mint Cake has been used on many expeditions around the world as a source of energy;- Edmund HillaryEdmund HillarySir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
and his team carried Romney's Kendal Mint Cake with them on the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The packaging currently includes the following: “'We sat on the snow and looked at the country far below us … we nibbled Kendal Mint Cake.' A member of the successful Everest expedition wrote – 'It was easily the most popular item on our high altitude ration – our only criticism was that we did not have enough of it.'” - Mint Cake was provided to the Imperial Trans-Antarctic ExpeditionImperial Trans-Antarctic ExpeditionThe Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition , also known as the Endurance Expedition, is considered the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Conceived by Sir Ernest Shackleton, the expedition was an attempt to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent...
of 1914–1917, which was led by Sir Ernest ShackletonErnest ShackletonSir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
. - Ewan McGregorEwan McGregorEwan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
and Charley BoormanCharley BoormanCharley Boorman is an English TV adventurer, travel writer and actor. He is well known for his association with motorcycles and enthusiasm for biking.-Education:...
included mint cake in their supplies for their 2004 motorcycle trip around the world in Long Way RoundLong Way RoundLong Way Round is a documentary television series, DVD set and book documenting the journey of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from London to New York on motorcycles...
. - The Kendal Mint Cake is also a standard part of the 24-hour ration pack issued to the Irish Defence ForcesIrish Defence ForcesThe armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
.