Humble pie for Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding is unlikely to be granted protected designation-of-origin status by the European Union despite a campaign by Yorkshire food producers, an EU official says.

Citing a 18th century recipe, the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber says the wheat-flour, milk and egg dish – a staple of Sunday roasts throughout Britain - originated in the northern English region.

Protected status would mean that anyone outside Yorkshire would no longer be able to call their Yorkshire pudding, well, Yorkshire pudding - just as champagne can only come from the French region of Champagne.

But in Brussels, a European Commission official - speaking on condition of anonymity - said "European protection for Yorkshire pudding is unlikely."

Such a proposal would likely be opposed within Britain by a large number of long time manufacturers from outside Yorkshire, who would argue that Yorkshire pudding is in fact a generic food.

Last month the European Commission granted protected status to Yorkshire rhubarb, produced within a 23-square-kilometre chunk of Yorkshire using a candle-light "forcing" process.