Christmas, or Plum Pudding is the traditional end to the British Christmas dinner. But what we think of as Christmas Pudding, is nothing like the original.......
Christmas pudding originated as a 14th century porridge called 'frumenty' that was made of beef and mutton with raisins, currants, prunes, wines and spices. This would often be more like soup and was eaten as a fasting meal in preparation for the Christmas festivities. By 1595, frumenty was slowly changing into a plum pudding, having been thickened with eggs, breadcrumbs, dried fruit and given more flavour with the addition of beer and spirits. It became the customary Christmas dessert around 1650. In 1714, King George I re-established it as part of the Christmas meal, having tasted and enjoyed Plum Pudding. By Victorian times, Christmas Puddings had changed into something similar to the ones that are eaten today.
Over the years, many superstitions have surrounded Christmas Puddings. One superstition says that the pudding should be made with 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and His Disciples and that every member of the family should take turns to stir the pudding with a wooden spoon from east to west, in honour of the Wise Men.
The Sunday before Advent Sunday is sometimes know as 'Stir-up Sunday'. This is because opening words of the Collect for the day (the main prayer) in the Book of Common Prayer of 1549 said:-
"Stir-up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
During Victorian times, puddings in big and rich houses were often cooked in fancy moulds, similar to jelly moulds. These were often in the shapes of towers or castles. Normal people just had puddings in the shape of balls. If the pudding was a bit heavy, they were called cannonballs!
Badger, surely not! Bacon Badger its a traditional recipe from Buckinghamshire which we've borrowed and enhanced slightly. Named after the appearance of the large stuffed roll, suffice it to say that no real badgers are harmed during the preparation of this recipe.
Ingredients
The Pastry
225 Grams Self raising flour
1 pinch Salt and freshly milled black pepper
100 Grams Suet
1 heaped tbsp Fresh parsley Chopped
8 tbsps Cold water
For the filling
1 large Badger – Joking!
400 Grams Gammon Cubed
1 large White onion Cubed
1 large Potato Cubed
2 cloves of garlic crushed
6 Handfuls Fresh sage leaves Chopped
1 handful Fresh parsley Chopped
1 pinch Black mustard seeds crushed
Method
(1) To make the suet pastry, simply sift the flour and salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl. Add the suet and chopped parsley and adding the water bring it all together to form a nice dough. Cover and chill.
(2) In a large roasting tin, add diced gammon, onions, potato, garlic, the freshly chopped herbs and the crushed black mustard seeds, combine. Roast in a moderate oven for 30 minutes, remove and cool slightly.
(3) Onto a well floured worktop roll out the pastry into a generous rectangle. Fill with the mixture, wetting the edges with water, roll up like a large pasty and seal together. Place a tea towel on the worktop and onto that place a sheet of foil with a sheet of buttered greaseproof paper on top and place your badger in the middle. Roll it all up and tie the ends with string.
(4) Steam for 1 hrs 30 mins over a pan of boiling water. Then remove tea towel and open foil and grease proof to reveal the feast. Finish off by baking at 180c, to give the pastry a golden crust, for 20 mins.
Wharfedale Fine Cheeses was established in 2012. We have a passion for tasting and sharing handmade cheese that has been lovingly made in God's own country, Yorkshire. We also like to bring you artisan cheese from the rest of the UK as well as further afield across Europe. With access to over 1000 cheeses we feel confident that there is something for everyone.
Wharfedale Fine Chesses attend a number of markets and farmers markets in the West Yorkshire region as follows:-
We also arrange cheese tasting events for small to medium sized parties, either in your own home or in a village hall, institute, public house etc. Below are the details for “Soft, Runny & a little bit Smelly” A cheese club event hosted at The Menstone public house in Menston, Leeds:-
"Following the success of May’s Cheese Club event, it is with pleasure that Wharfedale Fine Cheeses announce the second Cheese Club event at The Menstone this year. Again we shall be holding this event at The Menstone, why, because it’s a great little room, the people that came last time were fantastic, oh and of course, there is a bar!!!! So, after having a Taste of Shepherds Purse, what can we expect from this one, how about, Soft, Runny and a little bit Smelly! As before there will be 10 cheeses for you to try, take a little bit at first, if you like it you can always get some more.
What will there be, things like Brie De Meaux, Epoisses, St Marcellin, Golden Cenarth, Stinking Bishop to name but a few. "
There are many versions of candied sweet potatoes, this recipe brushes them with a combination of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, pops them in the oven to roast until tender.
Ingredients:-
4lbs Sweet Potatoes
2 Tbsp Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 tsp Salt
1Tbsp Cinnamon
½ cup Water
Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees
Method:-
1. Peel and slice potatoes 1-inch thick
2. Rinse potatoes and dry with a tea towel
3. Grease a shallow baking dish; put potatoes in dish
4. Place pan in pre-heated 400-degree oven for 30 minutes
5. In the meantime, in a saucepan melt butter and stir in brown sugar, salt and cinnamon and water
6. Stir mixture until it become a light syrup; remove from heat
7. Pour syrup over the potatoes and roast until tender
There are lots of other Afro-Caribbean recipes in the Afro-Caribbean Food Yorkshire Facebook Group
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