Christmas pudding is a favorite sweet or cake associated with Christmas. There are many recipes available today that the whole family can participate in and enjoy a fun old-time tradition while creating fun and cherished memories. Here is a little history about our beloved plum pudding. Why not introduce this old-time tradition back into your family? However for health and safety reasons you may wish to make the trinkets out of hard biscuit mix or purchase candy shapes rather than use metal or coins. Read on …
Originally this popular Christmas sweet was established in England and dates back to the Middle Ages. It was made of plum porridge consisting of chopped cows tongues, meat broth, raisins and spices. The reason it was called ‘Plum Pudding’ is because the word ‘plum’ referred to putting all the ingredients into a cloth that is tied at the top, then boiled until the ingredients are ‘plum’ which meant enlarged so that it would fill out the cloth. Once unwrapped it was sliced like a cake. Today it is still popular in many countries but the meat has gone and it is more like a sweetly spiced, heavily fruited moist cake usually warmed and eaten after the main festive meal.
In the 17th century, a quaint old custom for Christmas plum pudding appeared. Tradition says that the pudding must be stirred by every member of the family from east to west in honor of The Three Kings. Silver charms and three penny pieces were popular to be hidden in the pudding during the cooking. Whilst eating if you dug out a coin you were deemed to be wealthy the following year, a ring you would be married, a thimble an old maid and a button a bachelor. This tradition was enjoyed with much teasing and merry-making!
Thank goodness the chopped tongues have gone! So go on, create a new tradition with your family and get the kids involved with this one and you will create warm and loving memories they will cherish into their adult years!
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