Food History

On the 2nd day of Christmas recipes I bring you lots of plum pudding from Ideas for refreshment rooms: hotel, restaurant, lunch room, tea room, coffee shop, cafeteria, dining car, industrial plant, school, club, soda fountain : a ready reference to catering methods, covering a wide range of practice. 1923 (with commentary from the book). Just don’t eat it all at once.

The Genuine English Plum Pudding

Four recipes for genuine English plum puddings, by C. J. Russell, are printed in The British Baker of October, 1921. This superlative capsheaf of the British Christmas dinner is copied the world over with more or less success. We present herewith the recipes endorsed by the leading British bakers’ journal:

PLUM PUDDINGS, No. 1: 4 Ibs. of flour, 12 Ibs. of suet, 24 Ibs. of currants, 3 Ibs. of lemon peel, 12 Ibs. of raisins, 10 Ibs. of breadcrumbs. 1 oz. of cinnamon, 10 Ibs. of liquid eggs, 8 Ibs. of sultanas, 2 Ibs. of ground almonds, 3 Ibs. of orange peel, 5 Ibs. of citron peel, 10 Ibs. of sugar, ]] oz. of nutmeg, 1 oz. of mace, 1 Ib. of chopped blanched almonds.

PLUM PUDDINGS, No. 2: 3 Ibs. of flour, 10 Ibs. of raisins, 6 Ibs. of sugar, 2 Ibs. of orange peel, 1 Ib. of citron peel,, 4 lemons, % oz. of nutmeg, 10 Ibs, of suet, 10 Ibs. of currants, 6 Ibs. of breadcrumbs, 2 Ibs. of lemon, peel, 2 ozs. of mixed spice, 2% Ibs. of liquid eggs^ ^ oz. of salt.

PLUM PUDDINGS, No. 3: 6 Ibs. of flour, 7 Ibs. of sugar, 2 Ibs. of lemon peel, 1 Ib. of citron peel, 8 Ibs. of raisins, 1 oz. of nutmeg, 6 lemons, Lemon essence, 6 Ibs. of suet, 7 Ibs. of breadcrumbs, l1/^ Ib. of orange peel, 16 Ibs. of currants, 2ozs. of mixed spice, 1 oz. of cinnamon, 6 oranges, Milk to mix.

PLUM PUDDINGS, No. 4: 6 Ibs. of flour, 7 Ibs. of currants, 3 Ibs. of mixed peel, 3 Ibs. of suet, Lemon essence, 5 Ibs. of breadcrumbs, 8 Ibs. of raisins, 7 Ibs. of sugar pieces, 3 ozs. of spice, milk to mix.

The foregoing recipes will provide enough choice for the average shops. The procedure is the same in each case. Everything ought to be of the best of its kind consistent with the price charged for the finished article. Even in the cheaper kind it will pay to give a little more money for the fruit to ensure that it is free from grit and objectionable matter.

Pass the flour through a sieve, add thereto the suet, chopped up very finely; mix the two together. Make a bay, then add all the remaining ingredients, paying attention to see that they are all quite ready for mixing. I need not enter into details regarding the preparation of the crumbs, the chopping up of the peel, etc.; every intelligent reader will understand that to get the very best results attention will have to be paid to these matters. Some confectioners soak the bread in water and then squeeze it dry before using; others add the crumbs to the mixing dry in the first place. Whatever method you use, you must bear in mind that the batter must not be too soft unless you want puddings that will go mouldy in a very short time.

In the case of using oranges or lemons, the zest and the juice is the only part that is used.

Rub and mix the whole lot together until all is thoroly incorporated. Then let it lay for a day or so, if you can spare the time; this will help to ripen the mixing.

Fill out into basins; tie up and boil as usual.

As this is the point where so many confectioners go wrong with their puddings, perhaps a few words on the matter will not be out of place.

In the first place, be sure and fill the basins quite up to the top, otherwise the water will get in, and, hey presto! mould will make its appearance before you are aware of it.

Secondly, see that the cloths are firmly tied. There is no better way than the old-fashioned way of tying up a ginger beer bottle with string. The more the pudding swells, the more the string tightens; but be sure and use strong string.

Regarding the boiling of the puddings, they may be cooked in several ways. Boiling in the copper is general where there are not many to do, but the copper must be watched or they will stop boiling. They may be placed in a boiler of boiling w[ater and put in the oven, where, if your oven is hot enough, they will cook well in about eight hours, only they must be looked after or they will boil dry. They can also be steam cooked where a great quantity has to be manufactured. When done, wipe the basins with a cloth that has been rinsed in soda water, and store ready for sale.