<p style="text-align: center">Kendal Mint Cake</p><p style="text-align: center">A Short History.</p><p style="text-align: left">Kendal Mint cake has been around since the early part of the 20th century ,and came about by accident. The actual receipe has changed little in all that time, and it is still made to the old traditional ways by those in Kendal still manufacturing today. There are many stories as to how it was first made , and by whom. But the story told to the writer, by his Father - John Rigg Allen (Jack) is that it was a Mrs Clarke (a woman not a man as is sometimes claimed) who made the mistake that lead to the industry that thrives in Kendal today . But as it has all pasted into history --we may never know for sure.</p><p style="text-align: left">The companies who are making or have made Kendal Mint Cake are:-</p><ul><li>Romneys of Kendal</li><li>Daniel Quiggins & Son</li><li>J.E. Wilson</li><li>Wipers</li><li>Tom H Allen & Sons </li></ul><p>Of the above, only Romneys, Quiggins and Wilsons still manufacture the Original Kendal Mint Cake here in Kendal. Wipers was incorporated into Romneys several years ago and Tom H Allen ceased manufacturing back in the 1970s when they moved premises and took on the agency for the Barrs Soft Drinks company. They did continue to supply Mint Cake, which was made for them by at Daniel Quiggins factory on Fellside, Kendal.</p><p>Even today , you can still buy Allen's of Kendal mint cake, still wrapped in paper wrappings (the traditional method of packaging Mint Cake) as it is distributed by the grandson of the founder. It can be found on Ebid, Ebay , and in the Kendal Kandy Store (Online shop from Auctiva).</p><p>You can buy other brands of mint cake, but only the above brands are actually made in Kendal</p><p><img width="102" height="77" alt="" src="http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/2/4/4/0/5/7/webimg/268614946_o.jpg" />Fig: Allen's of Kendal Mint cake in paper wrapper</p><p>Kednal Mint Cake, has evolved from its humble origins, and now comes in many sizes of bar, and can be bought loose by weight. It is also to be found enrobed in chocolate (if you haven't tried this , it is absolutely delicious).</p><p>Mint cake has travelled the globe, and has been sent on many expeditions to the top of the world (Everest) and the bottom (South Pole). It is greatly prized by those involved in Mountaineering , and fell-walking , as a great stimulus when fatigue sets in. It is a great sweet for those involved in "exercise" as it does not melt or become inedible when subjected to extremes of temperature.</p><p> </p>