Edinburgh rock

Edinburgh rock or Edinburgh Castle rock is a traditional Scottish confection, and is quite distinct from conventional rock. It consists of sugar, water, cream of tartar, colourings and flavourings. It is formed into sticks, and has a soft and crumbly texture.

History

Edinburgh rock was first made in the 19th Century by a man named Alexander Ferguson, who became known as 'Sweetie Sandy'. Alexander was born in Doune, Perthshire in 1798. He learned the confectionery trade in Glasgow, and then moved to Edinburgh to set up his own business. The success of Edinburgh rock was such that he was able to retire back to Doune a very rich man.

Discovery

There is an apocryphal tale that Alexander discovered Edinburgh rock by accident. One day he came across a tray of sweets that had lain forgotten for months. He tried a piece of the desiccated results, found it to be delicious, and so Edinburgh rock was born.

See also

References

Edinburgh

Edinburgh (ⁱ/ˈɛdɪnbərə/;Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Èideann [ˈt̪uːn ˈɛːtʲɛn̪ˠ]) is the capital city of Scotland, located in Lothian on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. It is the second most populous city in Scotland and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. The most recent official population estimates are 464,990 for the city of Edinburgh itself and 492,680 for the local authority area. Edinburgh lies at the heart of the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City region with a population in 2014 of 1,339,380. Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century, Edinburgh is home to the Scottish Parliament and the seat of the monarchy in Scotland. The city is also the annual venue of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and home to national institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery. It is the largest financial centre in the UK after London.