Barm cake

Barm cake
Barm cake with melted butter and black pudding
TypeBread
Place of originEngland
Region or stateHistorical Lancashire
Main ingredientsBarm

A barm cake is a soft, round, flattish bread from North West England, traditionally leavened with barm.

Bacon is often the filling for a barm cake, whether served at home or in cafes or bakers in Lancashire.

Chips are also a popular filling, sold in most fish and chip shops in the North West of England and often called a chip barm. Another popular filling in the North West, particularly Bolton, is a pasty barm. In Wigan, a whole savoury pie is served in a barm cake, traditionally known locally as a "pie barm" or "slappy". More recently it is known as a "Wigan kebab", including on the menu of the local football team Wigan Athletic.

See also

References

  1. ↑ John Ayto (18 October 2012). The Diner's Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink. Oxford University Press. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-19-964024-9.
  2. ↑ Angus Stevenson (19 August 2010). Oxford Dictionary of English. Oxford University Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-19-957112-3.
  3. ↑ Allied Chambers (1998). The Chambers Dictionary. Allied Publishers. p. 129. ISBN 978-81-86062-25-8.
  4. ↑ Downes, John (28 July 2011). "BBC Food blog: The ale-barm method: Worthy of revival or just barmy bread?". BBC Online. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  5. ↑ "The bacon barm debate". thefruitytart.org. 28 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "GH Sheldon, Family Bakers, White Barm Cake, Brown Barm Cake". Archived from the original on 11 October 2007.
  7. ↑ "Delicacy is town's favourite snack". The Bolton News. 5 November 2010.
  8. ↑ What is a pie barm? In Wigan, it’s a way of life, The Guardian
  9. ↑ "Foods of England - Wigan Slappy". www.foodsofengland.info. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  10. ↑ "Match Day Guide For Visiting Supporters" (PDF). Wigan Athletic Football Club. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2026.