That time of year.

It's actually just over a week to Plot night (Gunpowder, treason and plot or Bonfire night on the 5th November) but I have made these Parkin Pigs  to take with us to Bristol for Grace and John.

The mixture is really a gingerbread biscuit as in Gingerbread men and not a sponge Parkin but in my childhood we always had 'Parkin Pigs' as part of the celebrations and believe them to be a Yorkshire tradition.

Sadly they I longer seem to be readily available though I do know a local baker that makes huge ones and sells them at a nearby Farm Shop. My son in law, John from Bath doubted that they existed as he had never heard of them. So a couple of years ago I bought a cutter and found the recipe on a Yorkshire foods website and made my own.

I can only think that they are no longer PC! Betty's have hedgehogs and sometimes other animals and also sold iced bikes during the Tour de France Grande Depart. So why not traditional pigs?

They taste nice whatever the shape!