Today, 1st August, marks Yorkshire Day - the day of the year entirely dedicated to celebrating the historic county of Yorkshire.
And boy does it deserve a celebration, because from the northern Shire was born one of the nation’s most-beloved foods, everyone’s must-have roast trimming – the Yorkshire pudding.
But Leeds-based supermarket chain Asda has decided to mark the day in quite an unorthodox fashion.
In a move that might be as controversial as Hawaiian pizza or Pina Colada Bounty chocolate bars, the store has released sweet Yorkshire puddings.
Yes, you no longer have to wait until Sunday afternoon to dig into a Yorkshire pud, you can now have one every evening for dessert.
Made by the Real Yorkshire Pudding Company, the Yorkshire puddings are filled with sweet fillings and while that might sound odd, they are made from the same batter as pancakes. So if it makes you feel better you could just think of it as a pancake in the shape of a cup? Whatever works for you.
Found in the chilled aisles, they’re vegetarian and gluten-free, so suitable for coeliacs.
You can choose from Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble and Toffee Apple Crumble for your “Yorkshire pud as a pudding”. They’re filled with real fruit compote and then topped with a crumble that is made from the same mix as the pud.
‘We love creating products usually reserved for our customers’ imaginations,’ says Jessica Dunn, a category planner for chilled desserts at Asda. ‘We’ve worked closely with Real Yorkshire Pudding Company to craft the flavours, getting these twists on northern necessities just right’.
Aiming to create a twist on a traditional staple, the Real Yorkshire Pudding Company looked to Yorkshire grown ingredients.
‘We’re a nation obsessed with Yorkshire puddings,’ says Sally Allister, New Product Development Manager at Real Yorkshire Pudding Company. ‘We’re so inspired by Yorkshire’s heritage; the desserts are made with locally sourced ingredients, such as the fresh rhubarb which is traditionally grown in the “rhubarb triangle” of Yorkshire.
‘Families can shake up their conventional dinner times or use the products as dessert with custard or ice cream, expanding the meal occasions in which Yorkshire puddings are eaten’.
But if you want to get your hands on these you’ll have to get down to Asda ASAP because they’re only available for a limited amount of time.
Might be time to say goodbye to the usual Sunday crumble.
