Pontefract cakes

Pontefract cakes are a symbol of Yorkshire – licorice cakes that are shaped into treacle-colored coins. A local legend says that they're among the oldest in the world. The first mention of both Pontefract and licorice was in the 1500s, and in 1750, there were 47 licorice growers in Pontefract, where the rich loamy soil and deep topsoil make perfect conditions for growing licorice.  The Dunhill family rented a piece of land in the Pontefract Castle to grow licorice, and George Dunhill, a chemist, claims that he made the first licorice confectionery in 1760 by adding sugar.

By the 1920s, Pontefract had at least 10 licorice-producing factories, and in 2004, there was even a Licorice Festival with a live fashion show where all the clothes were made from licorice. The unique Pontefract cakes are still stamped with an image of the Castle, and nowadays they can be found in many different varieties, from sweet ones to the sharp, almost peppery ones.