[Sca-cooks] Plum Pudding

[Johnna Holloway]

Alan Davidson mentions that the College Puddings
(made of suet, breadcrumbs, and dried fruits) named
after the Cambridge and Oxford colleges go back
to at least 1617. 
He mentions C. Anne Wilson as the source. So onto
Wilson and the source eventually becomes J. Murrell's 
cookbook of 1617 wherein is found
"A Cambridge Pudding" which calls for minced dates, flour, 
spices, etc. tyed in a faire cloth and boiled until done.
Ivan Day is going to be putting up information on English Puddings
but the spot is empty as yet. 
http://www.historicfood.com/English%20Puddings.htm
Less helpful is OED.
OED only takes plum pudding back to 
1711 Vind. Sacheverell 75 This is just as proper as I had a good 
Plumb Pudden to day with a Mixture of Flower and Raisins. 
This association of plums and puddings merged into the term plum pudding
seems to be early 18th century. Adding Christmas in brings in the other element. 
Jennifer Stead seems to agree with most sources as she says that
the very rich plum laced puddings were only associated
with Christmas late in the 17th century. Sara Paston-Williams
goes for 19th century for Christmas plum pudding tradition beginning.
Now adding the flaming custom--- Davidson is more
helpful here. He says Mrs. Beeton promoted it in the
1860's, so it's probably only mid 19th century.

You don't remember the name of Laura Mason's talk or the year, do you?

Hope this helps.

Johnnae

The source for all things 12th Night in England as concerns cakes by the way
is still Cakes and Characters by Bridget Ann Henisch.
The fact that it came out in 1984 and never sold well
in this country shouldn't deter you from reading it annually before
contemplating the season. 


gentle friends,
i am cooking a 12th night feast with an Elizabethan theme and intend to 
serve a flaming plum pudding to high table.  i realize that this is not 
precisely in period, and will be sure to tell people that, but i'm going 
to do it anyway.  can someone help me with EXACTLY how out of period it 
will be?  i'm remembering Laura Mason's talk at the Leeds Conference on 
Food two years ago, and thinking that I'm "prevericating" by probably 
less than a hundred years. 
elaina