Sunday 22 November 2009

Christmas Pudding

Christmas Pudding - evocative, sensory and luxurious; delicious, abundant and stirred with a wish. The subject of my favourite chapter in a book ever*, the beginning of Christmas, just a dessert but so much more.

This weekend we made our Christmas Puddings, a little late this year but hopefully not disasterously so. They take days of work but time is part of their luxury. From the soaking to the stirring to the steaming it takes its own time, there's no rushing a pudding.

Christmas is clearly a time for awe and wonder - and cooking is part of that for us. It's magical how some flour, sugar and butter can turn into so many different, delicious things. Throw in some spices and a handful of fruit and Christmas begins.

I'm going to try some new things this year - marshmallows from the Jamie Oliver mag, vanilla fudge from Life is Sweet (thanks Rose!) and gingerbread with 'stained glass' centres for our tree, my guess is they won't last 'til Christmas Day.

The kids love cooking but the wonder of making the pudding is extra special; as they stir and make their wish it's the first time in the year they think about Santa!!


*Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey



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