The herald., 1898-12-18
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The Christmas Pudding !
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Christmas comes on apace and the house
keeper of foresight will look after her
| Christmas plum pudding this week, II she
has not already done so. What the pump
kin pie and turkey are to Thanksgiving, the
plum pudding is to Christmas. The pnd-
ding, however, is grave and reverend
segneur' in comparison to the pumpkin
pie, in point of years. Anciently 1t was
called hackin, from the word ito hack, or
chop, while Hone defines it as "A large
sort of sausage made of mincemeat, sea-
soned well with sugar and spices. Iradi-
tion declared that it must be boiled at day
break, or else "two young men must take
the cook bv the arms and run her around
the market place to punish her for her la
ziness." Delivers into antecedents also aver
that the nursery rhyme which is now bean
porridge hot" was formerly and rightfu,ly-
Plum porr!dge hot,
Plum porridge cold,
Plum porridge in the pot
Nine days old
which seems altogether more probable.
The secret of making a successful plum
pudding lies in mixing the ingredients thor
oughly by kneading. then packing and tying
securely, leaving only little room Tor The
pudding to swell. then and lastly and most
important not Allowing the water in which
the pudding is cooked to stop boiling even
for moment. If the water stop boiling even
pudding will be soft and sticky, even if the
boiling is speedily renewed. large pud-
ding requires ten hours boiling, but II, as
many hou>ekeepers prefer, the pudding Is
cooked in small bags, five hours Will be
sufficient An excellent English recipe
which has been in use for many years, says
cut in halves one pound of raisins, stone
and soak in wine ga,s of brandy. Wash
and thoroughly dry one pound of the BEST
Iante currants. Chop fine one pound Of
beef suet or three-quarters OF pound OF the
moist beef marrow being careful to remove
all the strings if the marrow is used. Cut
in shavings two ounces of cltron and one
ounce each of candied lemon and orange
peel. Crate the rind and take the juice of
one orange and one lemon, blanch and Slice
and weigh out quarter of a pound of al
monds, CRATE one nutmeg and weigh out
one pound each of sugar and fine bread
crumbs Add teaspoonful of salt mix all
the ingredients thoroughly together, add
nine eggs well beaten, whites and yolks sep
arately, one wine glass each brandy ana |
>NelTN, anu enough Hllk, ABOUT Il scdut
quart, to moisten.
Ii it is to be boiled in cloth, dip in boil
ing water. wiring almost dry, rub with but
ter and sprinkle lightly with flour. Spread
he doth in a large bowl. pour the mixture
in and tie up carefully with a stout string.
When done hang away in cool closet TO
ripen. When ready for use boil again for
Two hours to heat through The mould
must not be opened after the first boiling,
but left until time to serve. A pretty way
TO decorate it is to have ready some
oanched and split almonds and stick about |
he center of the pudding like crown. Put
two or three sprigs of holly in the center,
pour a little brandy around, not over the
pudding. light and carry Immediately to the
able. The pudding may be served with
hard or liquid sauce.
The hard sauce most frequently used in |
conjunction with plum pudding is composed |
If one cup of butter washed free of salt, two !
,upsful of powdered sugar, the whites OF |