Editing Shortbread (section)

== Cultural associations ==
In ancient Scottish folklore, sun-shaped cakes, such as shortbread, had magical powers over the Sun during the [[Hogmanay|Scottish New Year's Eve.]]<ref name="Brown 2015" />

Shortbread originated in and is generally associated with Scotland, but due to its popularity it is also made in the rest of the [[United Kingdom]] and similar biscuits are also made in [[Denmark]], [[Ireland]] and [[Sweden]].  The Scottish version is the best-known and is widely exported.

Scottish chef John Quigley, of Glasgow's Red Onion, describes shortbread as "the jewel in the crown" of Scottish baking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/video.html?vxSiteId=60fdd544-9c52-4e17-be7e-57a2a2d76992&vxChannel=Food%20Recipes&vxClipId=1380_SMG1564&vxBitrate=300 |title=Chef John Quigley discusses and bakes Scottish Shortbread |publisher=Scotlandontv.tv |date=2006-10-24 |access-date=2009-05-29}}</ref>

An early variety of shortbread, using ginger, was reportedly eaten during sittings of the [[Parliament of Scotland]], and therefore the variety was sometimes called "Parliament cake" or "Parlies" into the 19th century.<ref name="jamieson-parliament-cake">{{cite book |last1=Jamieson |first1=John |title=An etymological dictionary of the Scottish language|date=1841|publisher=Andrew Shortrede |location=Edinburgh |page=191 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c4VHAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA191 |access-date=10 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Davidson |first=Alan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bIIeBQAAQBAJ&dq=%22parliament+cake%22+scotland&pg=PA349 |title=The Oxford Companion to Food |date=2014-08-21 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-104072-6 |pages=349 |language=en}}</ref> The biscuits were sold in Mrs Flockhart's tavern and shop in Bristo Street in [[Edinburgh]]'s [[Potterrow]]. Known as ''Luckie Fykie'', the landlady was thought to be the inspiration for Mrs Flockhart in [[Walter Scott]]'s [[Waverley (novel)|Waverley]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vIQBAAAAYAAJ&q=Luckie+Fykie&pg=PA290|title=Traditions of Edinburgh|first=Robert|last=Chambers|date=October 27, 1825|publisher=W. & C. Tait|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_parlie.htm |title=Traditional Scottish Recipes - "Parlies" |publisher=Rampantscotland.com |access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref>

In the UK tax code, shortbread is taxed as a [[Flour confections|flour confection]] (baked good) rather than as a common biscuit.<ref name="Brown 2015" />