Golden syrup
F fromTigger’s Wee-Blog posted her grandmother’s recipe for mouthwatering ginger biscuits. It was the mention of one of the ingredients, golden syrup, that triggered this post.
I read recently that Tate and Lyle were changing the 140-year-old trademark on their classic green and gold tins of golden syrup because some customers had complained that the current one was grim. The illustration shows a cloud of bees buzzing around a dead lion. Underneath are the words, ‘Out of the strong came forth sweetness’. The logo and words are repeated on the red and gold black treacle tin. (Tooth-achingly sweet golden syrup is refined from stronger, slightly bitter black treacle, which is said to be similar to molasses.) It holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest unchanged logo. This year, 2024, it was replaced by a stylised lion’s head and a single bee.
Tate and Lyle’s Golden Syrup became Lyle’s Golden Syrup after the sugar business was sold to American Sugar Refining in 2010. Tate and Lyle continues to trade other commodities.
I remember studying the syrup tin when I was a child, but it never occurred to me that I was seeing something offensive, and even now I see nothing wrong with it. It was based on the story of Samson and the lion in chapter 14 of the Book of Judges. Briefly, Samson killed a lion and later discovered that bees had used the carcase as a hive and produced honey. He then posed a riddle to the Philistines, one of whose daughters he wanted to marry, ‘Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.’
I must remember to keep the empty tin, as a reminder of simpler, less antagonistic times . . . and my childhood.
My guilty pleasure, but one I rarely indulge, is syrup on hot, buttered toast. 😔
I like ginger nuts, too.
I had a green and gold syrup tin until recently, I opened it to use and discovered through improper closing of the lid it had oxidised and turned black so I had to throw it out. Now I have golden syrup in a plastic screw top jar, which I use to make ginger cake once or twice a year.
ReplyDeleteYum - ginger cake:-)
DeleteI am quite partial to ginger nuts too. I don't like them to be too small, a decent mouthful is good. I used to make them and they were very nice. I think I used golden syrup, but it is hard to remember the mid 80s.
ReplyDeleteNormally I would argue to keep the old tin style, but I really don't like the lion with the flies buzzing, so I approve of the change to the tin.
Ah, but they're bees, you see. Flies don't make honey ;-)
DeleteAng at Tracing Rainbows did a post all about the disappearing lion a few days ago. I'd never really thought about the meaning of the lion and bees before.
ReplyDeleteSeems a shame to change it after so long but everything offends someone somewhere now
I must have a look at Tracing Rainbows, not a blog I'm familiar with. I agree, it seems that everything offends someone. We are in danger of becoming a very anodyne society.
DeleteWow. I had never even noticed that before. Not that I use Golden Syrup but I have been aware of the tins without ever looking closely at the image on the label.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to know a little of the story/reason behind logos.
DeleteHard to beat golden syrup on buttered crumpets, it my opinion!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
A sticky treat, to be sure.
DeleteI thought they were keeping the image on the iconic green tins and using the modern logo for the newer packaging.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right . I couldn't get to the bottom of it.
ReplyDeleteTummy now rumbling...not unlike a lion growling!
ReplyDeleteNot as loud, I trust;-)
ReplyDeleteI loved this as a child on white bread and butter, My Aunt put string each side of the opening in loops which you held as you walked with the tins under foot. Don't know if I've described it properly, but children my age had them as walking stilts and we played for hours with them.
ReplyDeleteThere are pictures of these as play stilts and there are ready made plastic ones, you've opened up a memory for me, thank you.
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember these (but never had any). Great fun, I'm sure.
DeleteSorry repeating myself here as I too read about it on Tracing Rainbows - it's PC gone mad as they say. However like someone else has mentioned above I think it's just the squeezy bottles of syrup affected.......let's hope so, those tins are iconic imho!
ReplyDeleteI love all things gingery and syrupy, but my favourite way of having golden syrup is in huge amounts on steaming hot porridge. Not healthy but very lovely 😊
Alison in Wales x
Oh, yes, syrup on porridge was always a favourite - I haven't had that for years. x x x
DeleteWe do not have golden syrup over here, at least not that I know of, but that picture is interesting. It comes from a time, I suppose that people would instantly recognize what the logo meant. A great lot has changed in 140 years hasn't it?
ReplyDeleteSometimes we're so busy rushing into the future and all the exciting new things that we forget about older commodities.
DeleteI'd seen that tin, but never realized what the logo actually was!
ReplyDeleteI recently needed golden syrup for a recipe but couldn't find it here. Will have to buy some when we're in the UK in June ... that's if I recognize the new logo! xxx
It seems that the logo will still be on the tins - several people have said that now, so I'm pleased. x x x
DeleteNot had any golden syrup in years and I could not have told you what was on the tin!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a good new week, the last one of February, the month has whizzed by.
All the best Jan
February is always said to be a short month, but this year it seems to have gone on forever, to me, anyway.:-)
DeleteWe called it treacle at home. I know now that is different, but that is what we called it. In the post-war decade, we sometimes had treacle on bread for tea. My grandma had a shop so we got it wholesale price.
ReplyDeleteMy husband calls it treacle, too. We had a disagreement about it, but he was right (curses!)
DeleteI was sad to read that the label was changing. I remember good old flapjacks made with golden syrup. I think I remember spreading it on toast as a child too!
ReplyDeleteI dislike syrup so let me ask you something else. Are you going to the Olympic Games in Paris this year? Australia is too far away from the Games in most countries, but when we lived in London in 1972, I would have definitely gone to the German Olympics.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even go to the London Olympics, so, no, I won't be going to Paris. I'll watch it - some of it - on television in peace. Not the same atmosphere, of course - well, NO atmosphere! - but I don't like crowds.
DeleteWe always have a tin of golden syrup here, so I shall make sure to keep the next empty tin with the lion and bees logo.
ReplyDeleteApparently, I got hold of the wrong end of the stick - not unusual! - and the lion and bees logo is to remain on the tin.
DeleteHi Janice - I didn't know the brand naming aspect - thanks! Treacle tart ..... oh oh oh too good!! Orwell thought so too - he wrote an essay during the war about it ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeletePost written on 23rd April (St George's Day) 2013 ... cheers H
DeleteI haven't had treacle tart for decades. Now you've got the salivary glands working;-)
Delete