Serve Plum Pudding to Mark the Occasion

I turned 50 yesterday. I have no idea how time managed to pass so swiftly. I have distinct memories of my 10th birthday, sweet 16, 20th, 30th and 40th celebrations, so my memory is still intact. I even remember my father’s 50th birthday: I was working in his law office when a local radio personality showed up in clown face to deliver a signing birthday greeting…OK so singing telegrams might date me a bit.

I am more fit and healthier than I have ever been in my life, don’t look anywhere close to 50, and act half my age. “Sarkiness” and living well may very well be the key to longevity. And naps, which I am ready for right now.

But not before thanking my wonderful sister in law Lady Janel (a professional caterer), and her son Curtis (very talented foodie), for an amazing job preparing the food for the open house we held to celebrate my big day with close friends.

Thanks to my loving husband, I married into a great family. I love to make desserts (I went nutty over pink and black chocolate goodies), and Janel and Curtis are amazing with party food and main course dishes.

100th anniversary of Titanic: April 14th

Time does march on. We look so forward to upcoming events: our birthdays, holidays, summer vacations, graduating, getting married, having children, retiring. As they say, these things take time and it marches on whether we like it or not. We are defined by what we do with it, and how we learn from it.

Next month marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. On Downton Abbey, our story line is tied to the first class passengers, the artistocracy who the Crawleys knew and the relatives who perished.

Lest we forget those who lost their lives in this tragedy, you will likely see a number of tributes this month. I recently mentioned a great documentary produced in Canada (which can be streamed online) called Waking the Titanic, which followed a group of 14 third class passengers from North Mayo, Lahardane, a small village in Ireland. Steerage class passage took 2 years to save in hopes of creating a better live for themselves. Families of the survivors talk of how the experience shaped lives. Costa Concordia survivors should take note that Titanic survivors were only paid $25 in compensation.

Titanic Drama will be Downton-on-Sea

Speaking of the passing of time, Downton Abbey S2 grads are still yeaning for new content while Season 3 is being shot. There is some hope beyond re-runs.  Julian Fellowes’ four-part mini-series looks at the intertwined fates of the different classes on board the doomed ocean liner feels just like Downton Abbey. Even better news, the show will not only be aired on ITV1 in the UK, but on ABC in the United States and other affiliates around the world.
While the writers resist the urge to cross over with Downton (i.e. do you know Patrick Crawley?), the script is rich with intertwining of characters that we are familar with from Downtown. Fond of drama, each episode focuses on a different set of characters: the ship sinks at the end of each episode, leaving us to wonder who survives…all is revealed in the final installment.

The latest released trailer for the Titanic mini-series coming in April
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjXgM1Eb0tg]

Titanic Tribute Dinners

If you have been following this blog you will know that I have been working my way through the 1st, 2nd and 3rd class menus. I have now heard of a few people who are planning to host their own event. If you haven’t already checked, I would love to hear how your plans are going.

If you haven’t given much thought about food and entertaining, perhaps you will be moved by this quote that opens the great book Last Dinner On the Titanic, written by Canadians Rick Archbold & Dana McCauley.

The pleasures of the table are common to all ages and ranks, to all countries and time: they not only harmonize with all the other pleasures, but remain to console us for their loss. Athelme de Brillat-Savarin

As a foodie I picked up this book primarily for the recipes and party hosting tips, but I am now spending more time reading the wonderful stories about the people, and life on board in all classes of service.

Plum Pudding with Sweet Sauce

Still fresh from my own party, I picked plum pudding to showcase today, which has been served in Britain on special occasions for hundreds of years. Lord D will take it any time he can get it.  A flaming version took center stage at Christmas dinner at Downton and would have been viewed as an extravagant dessert on Titanic.  It appears on the 2nd and steerage class passenger menus.

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Traditional Plum Pudding

Plum pudding has been served in Britain on special occasions for hundreds of years. A flaming version took center stage at Christmas dinner at Downton.  Families gather on Stir up Sunday to make their puddings; the last Sunday before Advent.

Course Dessert

Cuisine English

Keyword Downton Christmas, Stir Up Sunday

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped suet*
• 1 1/2 cups slivered blanched almonds
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 1 1/2 cups currants
• 1 1/2 cups candied peel
• 1/4 cup prunes pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup rum or orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 5 large eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup rum or orange juice

Instructions

• In a large bowl stir together suet, almonds, marinated fruit, flour, bread crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
• In another bowl beat together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in milk and rum. Using a large spoon stir (traditionally from East to West) half of the fruit mixture into the egg mixture until well combined. Stir in the remaining fruit mixture.
• If you have the time you can let sit overnight for the flavours to blend.
• Grease and flour a six-cup pudding basin or metal bowl. Spoon the mixture into your pudding basin and pack tightly to the top. Add a lid or fashion one with tin foil.
• Place basin in rack of steamer or rack in large pot and pour in enough boiling water to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the mould. Cover and simmer on low heat, adding more boiling water as necessary, for 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.
• At this point, let cool, then wrap in tinfoil and store until Christmas.
• Unmold pudding onto a serving dish.
• Heat 1/4 cup of rum, carefully use match to set on fire and then pour over the pudding and display.
• Slice and serve with sweet sauce.

Notes

*Suet is the hard fat which comes from around the kidneys of cows and sheep. If you want to be true to the recipe, find a butcher which would be the most reliable source for suet as you might end up with suet used in bird feeders. Suet has a high melting point, so it serves as a place-holder in puddings and crusts when the dough has begun to set, and long after other fats would have melted. As a result, the structure of the pudding is already defined by the time the suet melts, leaving thousands of tiny air holes that give the pudding a light and smooth texture. If you do wish to use a substitute, go with solid vegetable shortening, but it won’t be the same.

Pudding Traditions

• Christmas pudding traditionally contained 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples.
• Take a turn stirring: families gather together to mix the pudding. Each member of the family takes a turn in stirring the mixture whilst making a wish. The pudding should be stirred from east to west, in honour of the Magi (Wise Men) who came from the east to visit the baby Jesus. It’s also a good excuse to enjoy a wee dram or a cup of festive mulled wine!
• The customary garnish of holly represented the crown of thorns, but the holly berries are toxic so you may wish to pass on that tradition.
• Adding coins, originally charms, to the pudding was said to bring luck if you found them in your portion on Christmas Day. The traditional lucky charms were a silver coin for wealth, a wishbone for luck, a thimble for thrift, a ring for marriage, and an anchor for safe harbour.  This tradition is much like Barmbrack served at Halloween.
• Christmas pudding traditionally contained 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples.
• It is traditionally stirred (while making a wish) by each member of the family from East to West, to remember the Wise Men that visited Jesus in the Nativity Story.
• The customary garnish of holly represented the crown of thorns, but the holly berries are toxic so you may wish to pass on that tradition.
• Adding coins, originally charms, to the pudding was said to bring luck if you found them in your portion on Christmas Day. The traditional lucky charms were a silver coin for wealth, a wishbone for luck, a thimble for thrift, a ring for marriage, and an anchor for safe harbour.  This tradition is much like Barmbrack served at Halloween.

Tools of the Trade

As Mrs. Patmore says, "a poor workman blames his tools". If you want to invest the time in learning to cook you should fortify yourself with proper cooking tools.

I do love the hunt in my local cooking stores, but you can order items directly through Amazon, so you have more time to watch Downton.

 

 

Pudding Basin

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Christmas Pudding Sweet Sauce

Traditional sweet sauce served with Christmas pudding. This recipe comes from the ill-fated voyage of Titanic, accompanying the plum pudding which was served in 2nd class. 

Course Dessert, Sauce

Cuisine English, Titanic

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup sherry or orange juice
• 1 tbsp. orange zest grated
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• In the top of a double boiler (or in a metal bowl on pot of simmering water) beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add egg, beating constantly.
• Stir in sherry and orange zest until smooth.
• Place over barely simmering water and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12minutes or until thick enough to coat back of spoon. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve warm.
• Makes 1 1/2 cups sufficient for 12 servings of pudding.