Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14

Must Be Steamed
Thoroughly Before
Serving.
~ nee upon a time. so the story
goes, a prominent English states
man went to the court of the
~ French king, not very long be-
fore there ceased to be q mon
archy In France. The French king. like
many OF his subjects, thought that the
national dish Of England was plum pud-
ding. So the king secured a recipe for
the richest plum pudding he could find
and sent It to the royal chef. with in
structfons to serve it at the state banquet
TO be given TO the English statesman.
The king gave minute instructions about
the number of plums, or raisins, to be
used. He told just how long to chop the
suet and how much sugar to add He
specified that the pudding was to boil in
water for certain number Of hours. In
fact, the king left out nothing but the
bag or course. the chef too. left out the
bag And when the great state banquet
took place the pudding was brought
steaming to the table in huge tureens-a
and citron and currants and suet nicely
mixed and stewed for many hours in boil
ing water.
The story goes on to say that the Eng
Hsh ambassador ate his national dish
with a spoon and right good relish. and
the king never knew that he had left out
the most important ingredient of the plum
pudding-the bag
Nowadays we do sometimes leave out
the bag and substitute in its place mold
or an earthenware bowl But bag, mold
or bowf-they must all be buttered, and a
coating of -four added to the butter makes
the probability of sticking the smaller
Make the bags of heavy, unbleached,
new muslin and make the covers to the
bowls of the same material Tie the COW
ers firmly over the bowls with clean,
strong cord. or with strips of muslin.
II YOU would make a famous Old Eng
,ish plum pudding according to rule, you
must make il tomorrow-for 1T takes ten
days, at least, in the making
co about il this way: Chop enough beef
suet freed from skin and shredS, TO NIL a
cup. Put ii In big bowl Measure ana
add cupfuI of dried currants, cupful
OF almonds cut in shredS with silver
knife, three cupfuls of fine, juicy raISins,
rolled in a cupful of flour. two cupfuiS OF
crumb from the inside of loaf of bread
a teaspoonful of cinnamon. grated nut
meg and half teaspoonful OF srounu
cloves, and two-thirds of a cup OF Drown
sugar Shred enough citron TO measure
half a cupful and shred the same amount
each of candied orange and candled lem
on peel Add this to the other ingredients
and let them all stand for a week or ten
6ays-until the day before ChristInds, u
that Is convenient.
The day before Christmas-or the Mon
day or Tuesday before. il that is more
conyenient-add the yolks of four beaten
eggs. a cupful OF warm milk. half a cup
full of sherry and the same amount OF
brandy TO the pudding. Grease molds or
bowls, each holding two cupfuls, or
mint Four Of this size will be needed
Pour the pudding mixture IN the molos or
bowls, filling to within half an inch OF
the top. and tie on squares OF fresh
muslin. Put the buildings in boiling
water being sure not to cover them, and
simmer for six hours The water should
reach to about an inch from the top OF
the bowls and should never boil actively
enough to cover the buildings. But II
should never stop boiling gently
On Christmas day steam the puddings
for an hour, turn out and serve with a
suitable sauce
factorily for weeks after it is made IL
must be thoroughly steamed just before
serving. and 1t must be served hot.
Here IS a recipe for plum PUDDING
recommended by famous chef as lighter
and more acceptable to the modern
palate than the regular English pudolng.
Chop a pound of beef kidney suet and
mix II with a pound and quarter OF
soft bread crumbs. half a pound OF
orange peel and citron shredded, pound
Of brown sugar and a pound of dried
raisins. Add tablespoonful Of powdered
ginger and eight unbeaten eggs, and
lastly stir in three-fourths of a glass OF
brandy and half a glass Of raw cream.
Mix well and put il in buttered mold.
Butter and -four a square of muslin and
tie this over the top of the pudding.
Plunge II In boiling water and boil for
four hours. Drain and serve.
Here is still another recipe for an Eng
aish Christmas pudding: Weigh out a
pound each Of the following ingredients:
Raisins, currants. flour, suet-cleaned
and chopped-bread crumbs and brown
sugar. Mix thoroughly and then add a
quarter of an ounce each OF allspice and
candied lemon and orange peel Add half
\ teaspoonfui of allspice. half a grated
nutmeg, eight well beaten eggs and the
grated rind of q lemon. Beat thoroughly
again and then add a glassfui each OF
brandy and rum, or two glasses of either
Boil as two buildings In bags for seven
hours and serve.
Here is a recipe for much simpler
pudding than any of the others, but one
that Is we'll worth the making and eating
Chop quarter of pound of beef suet
Add two cupfuls OF -four, quarter of a
cup OF brown sugar. teaspoonful of
baking powder. two beaten eggs mixed
with three-Guarters of a cup of rich milk.
a pinch OF salt. half teaspoonful of
ground ginger and half grated nutmeg
and cupful each of raisins and currants.
Steam for two hours.
Plum pudding should be served piping
hot TO be at its best IL must be un-
nodded on a hot serving dish just at
the moment ii is wanted and il must be
served expedtiously.
At Christmas time IL should be gar
nished with a sprig OF holly or mistIetoe,
or else surrounded with a border OF these
plants
OF course, the proper accompaniment
a.