Soor ploom
A bag of soor plooms | |
| Type | Confectionery |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Scotland |
| Region or state | Selkirkshire |
A Soor ploom (Scots for "sour plum") is a sharp-flavoured, round, green boiled sweet originally associated with Galashiels, Scotland. They are sold loose by weight in paper bags, traditionally in "quarters" — a quarter of a pound.
They are said to have been first made in 1337 in commemoration of a skirmish near Galashiels. A raiding party from England were overwhelmed and killed by local men when discovered eating unripe plums.[1][2] "Soor Plooms" is the motto of the town of Galashiels in Selkirkshire, Scotland.[3]
Described as a "childhood favourite,"[4] they are green and "slightly acidic" in flavour.[2] They have been featured in Oor Wullie and The Broons cartoons; additionally, there is a Border pipe tune from 1700 called "Soor Plooms of Galashiels".[5]
References
- ^ Scottish Festivals, Sheila Livingstone, Birlinn (1997)
- ^ a b Amy Stewart (1975). Dae Ye Min' Langsyne?: A Pot-Pourri of Games, Rhymes, and Ploys of Scottish Childhood. Folklore. pp. 165–6. Retrieved 2008-01-03.
- ^ John Ruskin (1907). The Works of John Ruskin. Longmans, Green, and co. p. 613.
- ^ Neil Wilson (2004). Edinburgh. Lonely Planet. p. 147.
- ^ Francis Collinson (1975). The Bagpipe: The History of a Musical Instrument. Routledge. p. 111.