May 25, 2006
The Truth About Nanaimo Bars
 A scandal is unfolding in the world of layered sugary confections.
The Nanaimo bar is a sweet, chocolaty treat long thought to have roots dating back to the mid 1800's in the coal mining colonialization of the Western British Columbia island of Nanaimo. Allegedly, these bars were included in care packages from back home in the U.K. to the early settlers. A fascinating story with apparently no basis in fact.
Instead, the rather pedestrian world of potlucks in the 1950's spawned the layered sugar bombs that have come to be known as Naniamo bars. The Women’s Auxiliary to the Nanaimo Hospital was the first publisher of the recipe.
I think I like the Coal Miner English-care-package story better. Either way, the bars are as good now as... whenever they were invented.
Here's a note I got from David Hill-Turner, the great museum curator at the Naniamo District Museum, who uncovered the scandal for us and is setting the world's treat-lovers and historians straight. The Museum is located in Piper's Park and is a stop on our included tour.
"I will admit the popular interpretation of the Nanaimo bar is more interesting. Apart from the butter and sugar, all the remaining ingredients would have come from the UK or California. Bird's Custard, the vanilla custard powder mentioned in the recipe, was developed by a pharmacist in Birmingham and many of the early miner-colonists (prior to 1862) did come from that region of the UK. We are considering developing a Nanaimo Bar exhibit in the new museum as we are asked many questions about its origins (along with the Bathtub Race!)."
Mark Belanger is the Technology Program Manager for Cruise West- which means that anytime you see Cruise West represented out on the web or through email, Mark was in some way involved. From time to time, he'll be unraveling the mysteries of the internet and how we use it to enhance our products and services to you.
Posted by Mark on May 25, 2006 11:01 AM
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