Being an American, I must ask our British allies, just what was that, "Christmas pudding" I saw being served up at Bob Cratchit's home? It was pulled out of a pot of boiling water in cheesecloth wrapping. Then it was served up shaped like a devils foodcake or bunt cake on a platter, doused with either rum or brandy then set on fire? Pudding to us yanks is something soft and chocolate that comes out of a mixing bowl. It just looked strange, it did. It must have tasted good judging by everyone's reaction to it.
I understand the Christmas duck. I once dined at a friend's home on Christmas Day, whose wife was from Trinidad, which has strong, past British influence. She served up a most delicious, spiced, barley stuffed duck, which melted in one's mouth. It was my first experience as I usually consume either turkey, ham, or prime rib on Christmas Day. Just writing about that savory, tender, barley spiced gravy stuffed duck makes my mouth water.
We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas And a happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin We wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year
Now bring us some figgy pudding Now bring us some figgy pudding Now bring us some figgy pudding And bring some out here
For we all like figgy pudding We all like figgy pudding We all like figgy pudding so bring some out here.
And we won't go until we've got some we won't go until we've got some we won't go until we've got some So bring some out here.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin We wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year
Don't you sing this? Here in the UK it's traditionally the last carol sung at any concert or carol-singing event around this time of year. We are probably collecting for charity, singing outside a railway station, in a shopping centre or anywhere where's there's lots of people to contribute. Very popular.
Anyway, this is figgy pudding. There aren't any figs in it, either. The ones in the Wiki article look a bit pale and anaemic, it ought to be almost black, sticky and very boozy. I do it with brandy butter, and flamed with warm brandy, too.
This is one of those words which mean very different things in the US and UK. Yes, we sing the song, but most Americans don't envision the same thing that a Brit does. Nothing wrong with either country, anymore than trunk/boot, elevator/lift or other dichotomies. As Winston Churchill once said (IRRC) the US and the UK are two countries separated by a common language.
I understand the Christmas duck. I once dined at a friend's home on Christmas Day, whose wife was from Trinidad, which has strong, past British influence. She served up a most delicious, spiced, barley stuffed duck, which melted in one's mouth. It was my first experience as I usually consume either turkey, ham, or prime rib on Christmas Day. Just writing about that savory, tender, barley spiced gravy stuffed duck makes my mouth water.
Sounds delicious!
The Cratchit's however dined on goose, not duck. Never having had either, I don't know if they're similar.
Indeed - "there never was such a goose!' - and they follow it with a Christmas pudding, which Bob praises extravagantly. And the Ghost comments that it's a small pudding for so large a family.
The one we see has obviously been steamed in a basin, which is how we do it these days; the one in the book has been steamed just tied in a cloth. "Suppose it should break in turning out?" the children speculate in delicious horror.
Sort of right, Strntz, but that was much longer ago, around the fifteenth century; it was then called 'frumenty'. The meat element gradually disappeared as more fruits and sweet-stuff was added. The pudding the Cratchitts are eating is just that, a pudding, or 'dessert' as restaurants insist on calling it. Mrs Beeton has a recipe for it in her cookery book, published in 1861.
CHRISTMAS PLUM PUDDING (Very Good) INGREDIENTS.β 1β1/2 lb. of raisins, 1/2 lb. of currants, 1/2 lb. of mixed peel, 3/4 lb. of bread crumbs, 3/4 lb. of suet, 8 eggs, 1 wineglassful of brandy. Mode .β Stone and cut the raisins in halves, but do not chop them; wash, pick, and dry the currants, and mince the suet finely; cut the candied peel into thin slices, and grate down the bread into fine crumbs. When all these dry ingredients are prepared, mix them well together; then moisten the mixture with the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the brandy; stir well, that everything may be very thoroughly blended, and press the pudding into a buttered mould; tie it down tightly with a floured cloth, and boil for 5 or 6 hours. It may be boiled in a cloth without a mould, and will require the same time allowed for cooking. As Christmas puddings are usually made a few days before they are required for table, when the pudding is taken out of the pot, hang it up immediately, and put a plate or saucer underneath to catch the water that may drain from it. The day it is to be eaten, plunge it into boiling water, and keep it boiling for at least 2 hours; then turn it out of the mould, and serve with brandy-sauce. On Christmas-day a sprig of holly is usually placed in the middle of the pudding, and about a wineglassful of brandy poured round it, which, at the moment of serving, is lighted, and the pudding thus brought to table encircled in flame.
This is pretty well the same recipe we use today. Us non-meat-eaters have to make sure the suet is vegetable, not beef.
I'd love to attempt that recipe, but I suspect there might be a bit of a learning curve to it. Also, Mrs. Cratchitt expressed doubts about the quantity of flour she used, but this recipe uses none. I guess there must be an almost infinite number of versions of this.
Question: there are prepared plum puddings available from on line resources. Are these at all representative of the product or should they be avoided at all costs?