ORIGIN OF PLUM PUDDING: QUEEN ANNE GAVE. PRIZE FOR RECIPE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 8, 14 February 1914, Page 3

ORIGIN OF PLUM PUDDING: QUEEN ANNE GAVE. PRIZE FOR RECIPE.

The-exact Origin, of the English plum oo t obscure "'ft' is difficult to obtain auy information ol,hcr than an occasional note in records-covering the early •" part of the eighieenth century. It is suj>posed to ha\e been in .use many years befbi-c this, but the first mention of "pudding/made from flower and raisins" is found under the ,date L.of 1711. Under the same date wc fin V.an old book of recipes . written'by, the chef who had charge' of the kitchen for King Charles it; James 11., and Queen Anne. He writes: •—"pudding'is a Dish very difliculfto.be described, because of the several Sorts'.there are of it; Flower, Milk;' Eggs, Buttdr,' Sugar, Suet, Marrow, Raisins, etc., etc.,.are the most common Ingredients of a Pudding. They bake them,in an' Oven, they boil them with Meat, they make them fir% several Ways; Blessed be he that in-, vented Pudding for it is a Manna that hits all Sorts of People; a Manna better than that pf the Wilderness because the -People; are never weary of it. Ah, what an excellent"Thing is an English Pudding.", In the latter part of the same year Queen Anne offered a prizV of two guineas for the best plum pudding* recipe and but of 500 answers she awarded the prize to the one sending the following: — One- pound of raisins, one pound of suet chopped fine, three-quarters: pound of stale bread crumbs, onequarter pound of brown sugar, one-quarter pound of Hour, one pound of currants, one-half of nutmeg grated, five eggs, one-half pint of brandy, one-naif pound of minced candied orange peel. Glean, wash, and dry the currants, stone the raisins, mix all dry ingredients well together. Beat the eggs, add to them the brandy, then . pour them over the dry ingredients and thoroughly mix. Pack into greased small kettles or molds (this will make about six pounds) and boil six hours at the time of making and six hours when wanted for use. Serve with hard or brandy sauce. y.'.\ The number of answers the Queen received proves that such a dish was fairly well known throughout England af that' time. As such news did not travel'as fast then as with the modern system, it is safe to estimate that the plum pudding was served in England at least 150 \ ears previous. But even with a 200 year old recipe before us we find it as a whole much the same as those in use to-day. Tne slight changes found in the modern recipe? are due ' ia some respects to the high cost of the ingredients These changes were made iii order that all classes might enjoy their, English! plum pudding, which Christmas has assigned to the Christmas dinner, and is as appropriate as the decorations and gifts themselves. So with the . .'oming of the: holly ancl mistletoe comes the thought of . .he plum pU Itßng,: which must be prepared ahead of „ time and allowed to "mellow." "'.'**■. TheipUdding is usually prepared and baked from a week to two weeks before Christmas, and this is out of the way before, the real preparations ior the Christmas dinner pegin. ;In England in many instances the - pudding is baked a; year ahead and hung .from the ceiling along with the ham, bacon, .and popcorn, where it is kept dry aiid out of the-way. There is no danger o>it ■ «•> spoiling if the top is covered with a clean paper moist-ened-with brandy >. , . ■'. . If would ? be lucky the doming year, you and all your' family, must stir, the mixture in'the: \)rocess of ; making. —This vis an old custom and is observed ove,a '• to-day among-certain'ciusscs. ' * ■>'