What is a Christmas pudding and how did it develop into the U.K.'s favourite festive dessert? What's inside one and, importantly, how can you make one in your kitchen?

In this episode we'll talk about the fascinating history of Christmas pudding and then dive into the practicalities of making your very own festive pudding.

What are the ingredients? How can you combine them? What's the cooking method? How do you serve it and what can you do with the leftovers?

We'll cover recipes from as far back as 1300 right up to the modern day and you will leave excited and ready to bring to life this traditional British Christmas desert in your own kitchen wherever you live in the world.

We'll both be cooking up a Christmas pudding this year, we love it if you would join us. Check out the free download with folklore, recipes and tips that's available for all listeners below.

Thanks to our supporters Andrea and I have recently invested in some new recording equipment. This means that future podcasts will be clearer. But, as we all know, new technologies have teething problems. And we experienced them here. This episode is clear, but, some of it isn't as high-quality as you are used to from us and we apologise for that. It won't take away from your enjoyment of Christmas puddings.

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One Earth Health make the grass-fed organ supplements we use and trust. Get 15% off your first order here and 5% off all subsequent orders here.

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What we cover:

• Intro to Christmas pudding
• Early history of plum pudding
• Why it's called plum/figgy pudding
• How it transitioned to the sweet, Christmas pudding we know
• The link with the British Empire
• Home-cooking your own Christmas Pudding
• Stir-up Sunday
• Basic ingredients of a Christmas Pudding, why they are there and how you can vary them/what you can substitute them for
• The different cooking methods, including how to prepare a cloth for boiling
• Aging a Christmas pudding
• Egg-free, gluten-free, modern and historic recipes
• How to serve a Christmas pudding
• What to do with your leftovers

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Resources:

Christmas pudding download for all listeners, with history, poetry, recipes and more!

Patrons enjoy a Christmas pudding recipe comparison, specially compiled by Francine so that she (and you!) can see 12 recipes at a glance and build your own pudding!

If you can’t get it locally, where to buy suet in the US:

https://repprovisions.com/products/rep-regenerative-beef-suet?utm_campaign=gs-2021-06-07&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwr9m3BhDHARIsANut04apvRiDb7rjLK9Pdq3wdIx1UVTTU-oi085OqA25o-cqjrEJyy_

https://stemplecreek.com/products/beef-suet?srsltid=AfmBOoo8Z0bKT9mfjeCZZFk0kox6SYIR-McJwtXwhn5DExfdQvG03NRE

https://sevensons.net/store/product/beef-suet?srsltid=AfmBOoqYHF0ttZIVqXI3m0m9TNLiFQpXqAI6v5qxF9lzHV2fmap8oE_s

https://arrowheadbeef.com/products/beef-fat-suet?srsltid=AfmBOooGstznO1XTQnkh5Z5rrv9lHl4dqa7d60wIipNCFu-6fZ15EtLq

If you can’t get it locally, where to buy suet in the UK:

https://www.organicbutchery.co.uk/buy/organic-beef-suet-shredded

Do you have memories, documents, recipes or stories of those who cooked ancestrally? If so, we would love to hear from you! Visit our website here for how to share.

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Alison is taking a break from Instagram. You can stay in touch with her via her newsletter at Ancestral Kitchen

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The podcast is mixed and the music is written and recorded by Alison's husband, Rob. Find him here: Robert Michael Kay