Yorkshire is the home of chocolate, fat rascals, some awesome gin and more. Don't miss out on these food experiences as part of your feasting this Easter...
Get a chocolate fix
York has a grand heritage of chocolate making with heritage brands such as Terrys and Rowntrees born in York. This was the birthplace of the fruit pastille, the Terry’s Chocolate Orange and Terry’s All Gold. Today in York you can head to York Chocolate Story and get a sweet fix on the York Chocolate Trail.
The York Cocoa House is the city’s hub for chocolate-loving aficionados - the only chocolate manufacturer within the city walls, making bespoke chocolate products, and offering chocolate workshops at its York Cocoa Works. The shop's hand-wrapped Easter eggs, truffles and beautiful foil-wrapped mini eggs are available to click and collect until April 3. Just off James Street, Choc Affair, (which was voted best UK chocolate brand in 2018, twice in 2019 and in 2020 by Fine Food Digest), produces an array of signature chocolate bars (such as lemon and sea salt or honey), hot chocolate flavours, vegan options, hampers and gift set items.
Don't miss: Flat eggs from The Chocolate Factory in Hutton-le-Hole and Thornton-le-Dale. Each egg-shaped chocolate bar is handmade and thoroughly delicious.
Fat rascals and fondant fancies
If you saw Fred Sirieix and Nadiya Hussein exploring Yorkshire’s food offerings on Remarkable Places to Eat you will have seen them get close up with a fat rascal at Bettys bakery in Harrogate.
Bettys is a Yorkshire legend with tearooms that have remained unchanged since the business was born a century ago.
This Easter you’ll find amazing hand-crafted Easter Eggs on sale as well as traditional treats such as Simnel Cake – not to mention those rascals in their different varieties - which you can even order by post.
Cheers to a bank holiday!
Slingsby Gin is one of Yorkshire’s favourite tipples. Made in Harrogate, its many varieties are created by seasonal and local ingredients, from rhubarb to Taylors tea. You can take a trip and create your own spirit at their masterclasses too. Here’s a treat to shake up the Easter weekend.
Slingsby Easter Shake
Ingredients
37.5ml Rhubarb Gin
12.5ml Crème de Cacao
150ml Milk
20ml Chocolate Sauce (recipe: three squares of dark choc in bowl, place inside another bowl with hot water in it. Once melted mix in 50ml double cream)
Method
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into jam jar glass. Rim the glass with melted chocolate and crushed Easter Egg then finish with a strawberry garnish
Or try a salami!
Yorkshire's homegrown sausage brand, HECK, created a limited edition Easter sausage - aka - a 'Chausage' for Easter. The gourmet, gluten-free chocolate sausage is inspired by the ‘choc salame’ popular across Europe. Just 500 have been made.
