Calling British Food Historians - To settle a disagreement

lilibeth

Ok now we all know that fudge was invented in Britain right.
However somebody I know pointed out that they (the Americans invented it) :mad:

Cue frantic googling which led me to a wiki article. The article did indeed claim it to have been invented in the USA.

HOWEVER numerous American articles on the web point out that what we eat in Britain is not considered fudge in the USA rather 'English Fudge'(N.B. Can all Scottish/Welsh and N Irish forum members direct their ire at America please:D) which is different to their American fudge stuff.

So, I was taught that fudge and tablet were invented in Britain in the 1700's or possibly earlier in the 1600's.

Any clever little foodie historians out there want to shed some light on this? :A

Please

Thanks in advance

Toonie

The only light I can shed is that I understand fudge in America to be made with chocolate and is quite frequently used as a hot topping on ice cream.

lilibeth

Toonie wrote: »

The only light I can shed is that I understand fudge in America to be made with chocolate and is quite frequently used as a hot topping on ice cream.

Yeah that came up repeatedly in my googles. Thanks for responding
I find it shocking how little we know as a nation about our culinary heritage.
I'm embarrassed how little I know.

dandy-candy

I have had a rummage through my cookbooks, I have a reprint of a 1750's cook book and also of Mrs Beetons - no fudge in either Only reference I have found is to it first appearing in an American magazine in 1896 so might be their invention after all!

Toonie

I've found out that Scottish tablet first appeared in The Household Book of Lady Grisell Baillie in the 18th century. So, perhaps this recipe was taken over to America and then it simply evolved. It is often that a sweet confection is invented so late on...especially not something as simple as fudge.

radiosupply

I'm not American - I'm Canadian, and we invented brownies and butter tarts!

Fudge in North America is made with all sorts of things - most commonly with chocolate, but most chocolatiers will make maple, mint, vanilla, etc. I've had British fudge, and it's similar in consistency but not much variation in flavour.

powershopper

...just googled butter tarts... mmmmmmmmmmmm...will have to try a few recipes to find the best:T :T :T

morganlefay

yeah, well...americans think they invented 'apple pie' (as in the expression 'as American as apple pie' - which I have never understood since pies with apple in would seem to be ubiquitous) which perhaps they did in some forms, but I'm certain that we were eating pies with apples in long before there was anyone except native americans living there so it's all a question of what you call it (and how much cinnamon etc it has in it, I expect). But I certainly wouldn't want to offend anyone.