Since the beginning of time confectionery, sweet treats and celebrations have gone hand in hand together and it is soon a time of celebration, not just with the lighter morning and evenings to look forward to, but with the forthcoming celebrations of Mothering Sunday and Easter soon to be upon us and the spring and summer bringing a season of wedding fever too.
Mothering Sunday falls three weeks before Easter Sunday and has also been known as Refreshment Sunday, Pudding Pie Sunday, Rose Sunday and Simnel Sunday. In times past, when there were many people employed ‘in service’, the staff were given a day off by their masters and mistresses to spend time with their families or get the opportunity to visit their ‘mother church’. It soon became a tradition to pick wild flowers and give a gift to mothers on this day. The name of Simnel Sunday represents the baking and serving of the Simnel Cake - the top layer of which is usually covered with a circle of marzipan eggs (but for the chocolate lovers, delicate Chocolate eggs could be used). Giving a gift to someone at this time isn’t just a thoughtful gesture but steeped in history too.
The first Easter eggs made by that famous British Chocolate brand Cadburys was in 1875. But progress was slow to produce Easter eggs due to the production methods. Once the method was discovered for making chocolate flow into egg moulds - production expanded and by 1893, Cadbury had designed and produced 19 different lines for the Easter market. The first eggs were mostly produced using dark chocolate, but modern eggs are predominately manufactured with milk chocolate. And Easter isn’t just about chocolate eggs, there are lots of sweets and candy that are popular at this time.
And after a busy time of hunting and feasting on the chocolate eggs and sweets over the Easter weekend; wedding plans will be being finalised up and down the country and part of the traditional wedding celebrations has been the giving of wedding favours. Favours are a symbol of good luck and many centuries ago, guests would receive a gift of a sugar cube from the bridal party and, since sugar cubes were perceived as an expensive commodity, they were seen by guests as a sign of wealth. In time, the sugar cubes were later substituted for almonds coated in sugar.
Modern day favours can be chosen from a huge range of quality confectionery and along with the traditional gift of favours, sweet carts have become a huge favourite as a wedding reception accessory, particularly for the young members in the wedding party! But also it is fantastic for all guests to have a sweet or two! Often the sweets are chosen with a coloured
Whatever the celebration, there is no doubt that candy and sweet treats always play a very important part.
