Kendal Mint Cake facts for kids
A packet of Romney's Kendal mint cake
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| Type | Confectionery, Energy bar |
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| Place of origin | England |
| Region or state | Cumbria |
| Created by | Joseph Wiper |
| Main ingredients | Sugar, glucose, peppermint |
Kendal Mint Cake is a special sweet treat from Kendal, a town in Cumbria, England. It's made mostly from sugar and has a fresh peppermint flavour. This tasty cake is super popular with climbers and mountaineers, especially those from the United Kingdom. They love it because it gives them a quick boost of energy when they are on long and tough journeys.
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History of Kendal Mint Cake
Kendal Mint Cake is based on an old recipe for sweets called "mint cake" or "peppermint tablet." Today, three companies still make Kendal Mint Cake. The story goes that this special cake was created by accident!
In 1869, a man named Joseph Wiper was making glacier mint sweets. He supposedly left the sweet mixture boiling overnight. The next morning, he found that it had turned cloudy and solid. This new discovery was the "mint cake."
Joseph Wiper started making and selling this new mint cake. Other sweet makers soon followed. In 1912, Joseph Wiper moved to Canada. His great-nephew, Robert Wiper, took over the family business. Robert helped make Kendal Mint Cake famous as an energy snack. It was even used on famous trips, like the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. This helped it become popular around the world with mountaineers and hikers.
Quiggin's Mint Cake
Quiggin's Kendal Mint Cake is the oldest company still making mint cake. The Quiggin family has been making sweets since 1840 in the Isle of Man. One of the four sons, Daniel Quiggin, moved to Kendal in 1880. That's when the mint cake company started.
The Quiggin's factory has even been featured on TV shows. For example, Lisa Allen visited the factory for the BBC TV show Great British Menu. She used Quiggin's Kendal Mint Cake in one of her desserts.
Romney's Mint Cake
Romney's company started in 1918. They used an old recipe to make their mint cake. This mint cake was sold in Kendal and sent by train to other parts of the north-west of England. In 1987, Romney's bought Wiper's Mint Cake from Harry Wiper. Harry had taken over Wiper's in 1960.
In 2016, Romney's made special "Kendall Mint Cakes" to celebrate the 21st birthday of famous model Kendall Jenner. They gave away 200 of these special cakes on social media. Romney's has also appeared on TV shows like the BBC's 'Inside The Factory'.
Wilson's Mint Cake
Wilson's Mint Cake was founded in 1913 by James Wilson. He bought a factory in Kendal. James used to make toffee, but he decided to focus on mint cake instead. In 1966, the company moved to a new location in Kendal. Wilson's was also allowed to sell a range of sweets featuring characters from Beatrix Potter's stories.
By 2007, James's grandson, Andrew Wilson, was running the factory. At that time, mint cake was not the main product. Chocolate sweets made up most of their sales. The company moved from Kendal in 2013. In 2016, the company changed owners. It is now run by W McClures Ltd, a family business. Wilson's Kendal Mint Cake is still available for sale from their website.
How Kendal Mint Cake is Made
Kendal Mint Cake is made from simple ingredients: sugar, glucose, water, and peppermint oil. The exact recipe and method are a secret, but here's how it's generally made:
- The sugar, glucose, water, and peppermint oil are boiled together in a large copper pan.
- The mixture is stirred all the time. If it wasn't stirred, the finished product would be clear, not cloudy.
- Then, the mixture is poured into special moulds. It is left to cool and become solid.
- Once it's hard, it's broken into individual bars.
You can find different types of mint cake today. The most popular kinds are made with white sugar, made with brown sugar, or covered in chocolate.
Famous Uses of Kendal Mint Cake
Kendal Mint Cake has been used on many important expeditions around the world. It provides a great source of energy for adventurers:
- Wiper's Kendal Mint Cake was taken on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition from 1914 to 1917. This trip was led by Sir Ernest Shackleton.
- Sir Edmund Hillary and his team carried Romney's Kendal Mint Cake on the first successful climb of Mount Everest in 1953. A member of the team wrote: "We sat on the snow and looked at the country far below us … we nibbled Kendal Mint Cake." They said it was the most popular food item they had!
- Chris Bonington also used Quiggin's Kendal Mint Cake on his 1975 Everest expedition.
- Actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman included mint cake in their supplies. They took it on their 2004 motorcycle trip around the world, which was shown in Long Way Round.
See also
In Spanish: Kendal Mint Cake para niños
- Mint
- York Peppermint Pattie
- Energy bar
- Kanemochi
- Ninja diet
- First Strike Ration
- Soldier Fuel
