Hmmm - I caused confusion yesterday with the "two pennyworth of eggs when they're 2d a quart", so here's a slightly different version of the same puddign from yesterday's post, and also from the same book:
MOTHER EVE'S PUDDING
If you'd have a good pudding, observe what you are taught,
Take two pennyworth of eggs when twelve for the groat (4d) (e.g. 6 eggs!)
And of the same fruit that Eve had once chosen
Well pared and well chopped at least half a dozen.
Six ounces of bread (let your man eat the crust),
The crumbs must be grated as fine as the dust.
Six ounces of raisins from the stones you must sort
Lest they break all your teeth and spoil all your sport
Five ounces of sugar won't make it too sweet,
Some salt and some nutmeg will make it complete
Three hours let it boil without hurry or flutter,
And then serve it up without sugar or butter.
These are brilliant recipes .... love the wording but cant imagine how they would be. Both are boiled so suggest a good old fashioned pudding but no suet or flour ... but there is bread and a large number of eggs which also makes me think it would be too wet and thus a bread pudding style .... strange it doesnt say what dish to use or about wrapping it ???? Good Luck to those who try it ...cant wait to hear the result.
ReplyDeleteAngie - I suppose I really ought to try it myself, but the thought of all that boiling and our trying to reduce our electricity usage puts that one on hold. I am making bread and chocolate pear pudding instead!
ReplyDeleteWhat a feast! I've just been catching up on all of your blogs that I have missed recently. So much to enjoy - and some beautiful photographs too. I love these recipes - I can just about decipher an Eve's pudding from today's. Very poetic, but not easy on the cook!
ReplyDeleteGosh I am thick I never thought of boiled pudding as boiled in a cloth...I think my father was raised on variations of the boiled pudding theme and he always retained a fondness for bread and dripping.
ReplyDeleteI love old recipes or receipts though the instructions can be puzzling there is something very evocative about describing a hot oven as Quick" or "Brisk"
I wonder if you could "steam" it in the pressure cooker?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you could Kath - it would save on a lot of cooking.
ReplyDeleteVal - my mum always loved bread and dripping too. I suppose they had to use the range, hence the terminology.
Mags - it's nice catching up isn't it? I can recommend that chocolate pear pudding I made today. I think I may have to get some ice cream to go with it tomorrow . . .
Although I am familiar with the concept of a steamed pudding, I think they may not have retained favor in the US--except maybe for those who would try a "Christmas Pudding?" I gather these are tied up in muslin or cheesecloth and steamed on a rack?
ReplyDelete"Pudding" in this house is baked: rice pudding, pumpkin pudding, bread pudding. Or a stove-top cornstarch based chocolate or vanilla or such. Then there is tapioca pudding made with the now available "old fashioned" pearl tapioca. I serve it with a thickened berry sauce.
We used to have steamed puddings - the batter is put in a greased pudding basin, then clean muslin or a square of old pillowcase is laid over the top, and secured by string then the corners are taken up over the top and tied and it's put in a pan of boiling water and boiled till it's cooked, with the water topped up regularly.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of "pudding" as another name for "dessert" is just a hangover from these times I think. Gosh, mention tapioca pudding in Britain and you get a million people remembering school meals!