This recipe was given to us by Adrianne Bates, a senior resident of Blairstown. She shares this recipe from her grandmother’s cookbook entitled “Mrs. Beeton’s English Cookery” by Isabella Beeton.
” Christmas time always brings back memories of my grandmother’s delicious Christmas pudding. She would make bowls of it wrapped in cheese cloth which she shared with all our neighbors” Bates exclaimed.
Christmas Pudding
1 pound of beef suet, you may substitute vegetable shortenings or lard
2 ounces flour
½ pound raisins
¼ pound mixed peel which is orange, lemon and lime, chopped and cooked
½ ounces grated nutmeg
½ ounces mixed spices
½ ounces grated cinnamon
4 ounces of milk
1 wine glass of rum or brandy
½ a pound of breadcrumbs
½ a pound of sultanas – white raisins
¼ pound of currants
1 lemon juiced
2 ounces shredded coconut or shredded almonds
4 eggs
pinch of salt
In a bowl mix all dry ingredients well, add the milk and beat the eggs adding one at a time,
Add the peel and the rum or brandy and the strained lemon juice.
Put the mixture in a greased baking dish or floured pudding cloth, which is a cheese cloth or muslin fabric to cook in. It was popular in Victorian cooking.
Time – Boil for 4 hours or steam for at least 5 hours
Her grandmother used this cookbook often with 2,000 recipes and chapters on how to run a Victorian household. Check out these videos on Mrs. Beeton,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzRRqD9wJeY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Beeton’s_Book_of_Household_Management
Bates remembers her grandmothers’ holiday dinners which she prepared effortlessly, guided by her trusted cookbook.
About the author, Mrs. Beeton was a young Victorian homemaker with prim and proper values. She worked outside the home as a journalist who instructed her readers how to run a traditional Victorian home. She wrote many books in her short life, she was famous in England instructing Victorian woman in everyday life, a Martha Stewart of her time.
Victorian home. Table of content reads: labor saving, household works, servants’ duties, laundry work, marketing, renovations, carving and trussing, the art of using-up, table decorations, table napkins, meals, menu and beverages.
MB Journe, Contributing Writer
My name is Marybeth Journe, I feel blessed to be living in this part of New Jersey. I have enjoyed this community taking advantage of the lakes and woods. Always supporting the local businesses that make this my home. As a local artist myself, I know many of our residence if not by name, at least by sight. I feel comfortable interviewing others. I have worked for The Paulinskill Valley Chronical where I provided articles, photographs and billing. I consider myself an artist, journalist, naturalist, gardener and a teacher for the YMCA Camp Mason. I look forward to the work ahead
