Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-02-01
GIANT PLUM pUDDINcs.
some Rec0rd-Breakers That Were
Baked In England to supply
Whole Parishes.


Plum pudding Is as closely associated
with an English Christmasas the holly
and mistletoe. No Christmas dinner
would be complete without 1t.
Occasionally we read Of monster
plum buildings large enough to feed
an entire parish. In the village OF
Paignton, in Devonshire, the old char
ter provided that on each fiftieth
Christmas day the village should pro-
vide q plum pudding large enough to
feed all the poor, says the New York
Sun.
In accordance with the provisions OF
that charter on the first Christmas OF
the nineteen nth. century pudding was
made which weighed 900 pounds. The
ingredients included more than q
bushel of eggs, 100 pounds OF suet,
like weight of raisins, and 500 pounds
of -four.
Such q monster pudding required o
good deal of boiling, and large brew
ing copper was utilized for that pur-
pose. 1t was kept boiling from Satur-
day morning to Tuesday evening, and
when those in charge thought it suf-
ficiently cooked it was drawn by three
horses to the village green, and there
served out to the people, not only to
the poor, but to every person who
liked to participate. Unfortunately 1t
had not been boiled long enough, for
the heat had not penetrated to the
center of the vast mass.
A few years later there was mon
ster pudding made in Southwark, then
q suburban borough of London. The.
pudding was carried through the
streets in procession. headed by
band, playing alternately Christmas
music and popular tunes.
In 1853 the village of Paignton was
connected with civilization by means
of railroadand to celebrate the event,
the people, remembering the Old char
ter, thought well to have a monster
pudding as part Of the festivities. The
preparations cost S225, the ingredients
considerably more.
These consisted of GOO pounds OF
-four, 400 pounds ofraisins, 100 pounds
of currants, 400 pounds of suet, 191
pounds of breadcrumbs, 95 pounds OF
sugar, 300 lemons, IA nutmegs and 300
quarts of milk.
Remembering the previous failure,
the persons who undertook the prep
aration of the pudding made II in parts,
building it up into the usual round
shape after the cooking had been done.
This pudding weighed nearly ton and
a half, and eight horses were employed
to take 1t to the village green with all
BETTING ceremony.
At church fair held about ten years
ago monster pudding formed part OF
the attraction. 1t was not nearly so
large as the giants just referred to,
though it stood four feet high and
weighed ESQ pounds.
The ingredients consisted OF 70
eggs, SO pounds of -four, currants and
raisins. 81 pounds Of sugar, "a pounds
of breadcrumbs, o pounds Of candied
lemon peel, and two pounds Of mixed
spice. This was also boiled in sections
and erected after being cooked.
In some parts Of England the pud-
ding eaten on Christmas day Is year
old. the good wife making enough pud-
dings to last over several family cele-
bration days. but reserving one pud-
ding for the following Christmas. fla
genuine English pudding is boiled long
enough it grows richer with age, hence
the custom.
Many housekeepers boil the pud-
dings "a hours. and then let them cool
until one is wanted. the selected one be-
Ing boiled from four to six hours longer
previous to being placed on the table,