Thursday 18 April 2013

P is for Pond Pudding ...



Well this is my version ... and now I’ve found the recipe it is completely different – but as I live in Sussex and I made this dish once in my mother’s cottage in Cornwall – I give you an idea of two Pond Puddings!

Lemon Cream 'pond pudding'


It was a farm cottage with a thatched roof ... and had a Raeburn (another Aga type cooker) ... with rush mats on the stone floor ... the rush mats as you will see were an essential element.





 
The cottage - looking slightly 'tired' ...
it was lower than the road

I did put newspaper down too ... it was a Pond Pudding - in my years’ later memory- bank-book – to remember!!


The recipe first appeared 199 years ago ... and goes as such:


Take the juice of two or three lemons, squeeze into your serving bowl, add some sugar to make pretty sweet.  On the Raeburn gently make hot a pint of cream and put it in a tea-pot;
 
"Still Life with oranges, Lemons and a
Rose"  (detail) -  Zurbaran (1598 - 1664)
[Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena]

Getting the gist of this 1814 recipe?


put dish on floor on said newspaper over the rush mats ...


Stand on a chair, tea-pot in hand ... start poooouuuuuring drip-drop, splatter onto the sweetened lemon juice ... and if you’re in a place where health and safety won’t nobble you stand on a ladder and pour ????

 
Frothy lemon cream
The higher you are the frothier will be the pudding ...


Let the (Sussex) Pond Pudding stand until the next day – you will have a crusty sweet lemon dessert ...



Sussex Pond Pudding
For a Sussex Pond Pudding – the original Sussex Pond Pudding is made of a suet pastry, which encases a whole lemon with butter and sugar, which is then boiled or steamed for several hours ...

... if you added currants to the filling – this would technically make it a Kentish Puddle Pudding!


That is P for Pond Pudding from Aspects of British Cookery


Recipe for "To Make Lemon Cream" taken from Arabella Boxer’s “A Second Slice”  - an anthology, published 1966


Lee from The Write Game - actually made the Pond Pudding (my version) .. see her comments, recipe et al here .. she said it was 'smashing' and to top it off - served it to her husband for dessert!  Amazing the links we make ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

44 comments:

Suzanne Furness said...

I have heard of this one but have never tried it. I wonder what the tea would taste like after you used the teapot?

Marja said...

Never seen it before Would love to take a little bite

Valerie said...

I've never heard of this before... Looks yum tho.

Hugs!

Valerie Nunez and the Flying Platypi

Rosalind Adam said...

A pint of cream! All that cholesterol! And you stand on a ladder to mix it? This sounds like an April Fool joke except it wouldn't catch anyone because it's so unlikely. I now have a wonderful vision of you atop a ten foot ladder causing your lemon to bubble and froth vociferously.

Ida Thought said...

I want to try this now, not making it... just eating it :D

Diane said...

A completely new one on me. Interesting post. Take care Diane

Lynn said...

I guess I won't be making that! :) Those directions are so funny.

When I was in the United Kingdom a few years ago, I had a dessert called Lemon Posset (something like that - so good.) This made me remember that.

Patsy said...

I love lemon desserts but no longer have a Rayburn to cook with, nor a kitchen table to stand on. Oh well, I'll make a lemon curd sponge instead.

J.L. Murphey said...

Wow you stumped me. I pride myself on old recipe cooking but I hadn't heard of this one. Lemon Posset yes, I've even made it, but this is different. I'm going to have to try it, if I can get up on a chair.

Unknown said...

Wow, this sounds delicious and fun to make. I want to try it.

Jo said...

Absolutely new one on me, I love the idea of trying to pour the cream from such a height. The consistency of the cream would be so much better in the UK and would make a better pudding. Cream on this continent is useless stuff.

JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE

Julie Flanders said...

I've never heard of this before but I love anything lemon so this had my tongue hanging out. Yum!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Pond Pudding is new to me, but I think it sounds wonderful. I can't see me going to that much (cooking) trouble though to please my palate.

CMSmith said...

I love this. Where do I get the rush mats?

Chatty Crone said...

I have never heard of it - but I like hearing all about it! sandie

cleemckenzie said...

Okay, I'm going to try this. I don't have a rush mat, but I do have newspapers and a ladder. I'll report back.

Mark Means said...

Very interesting. It doesn't -sound- all that appetizing, but I'm betting it tastes great :)

Manzanita said...

I can't try it in this house, low ceiling. But I do have a tall ladder.
I'd love to have a teeny taste of it, especially now because I'm off all sugar and going crazy for something sweet.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I am a pudding fan of any sort :) so I am highly intrigued by this.

Sherry Ellis said...

I can almost smell the lemon all the way over here. It looks delicious. I'd love to have a bite!

nutschell said...

that looks so yummy!I'd love try a pond pudding:)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Oh my Lord, girl! I am drooling so badly my chair's turned into a wet slop. Ooh, what a nasty image.

You've outdone yourself, Hilary!

Empty Nest Insider said...

It looks delicious, and I love how you stand on a ladder to make it! You really should have your own cooking show Hilary!

Julie

Sara said...

I like the standing on the ladder idea:~) That must be a challenge! The pudding does look yummy.

I like what Empty Nest Insider said...you could have a food history book based on A-Z and include recipes as well. Make it an e-book. I bet people would love it. Of course, you want to wait until you recover from the A-Z challenge:~)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Pour from a ladder? Now that is unique. Never heard of pond pudding before.

Romance Reader said...

Just adding raisins make it a different pudding? Interesting! But does look yum!

Nas

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Suzanne - I suspect cleaner of taste?! Perfect for lemon tea ..

@ Marja - a slurp of a taste I think ..

@ Valerie - good to see you .. and glad you liked the look of the pond!

@ Ros - it wasn't a tall ladder .. it was just higher than a table or chair! Mum and I did it .. and it worked.

@ Ida - I wouldn't mind some too - it's latish now and would be good to happily finish my day off!

@ Diane - I muddled the puds .. but still the name sounds good .. and it does become distinctly puddly! - but delicious ..

@ Lynn - you could do it in your sister's house and amuse her kids?!

Lemon Posset has eggs and wine in .. so is similar but is thicker and sets ...

@ Patsy - sorry about the loss of a Rayburn ... but no kitchen table to stand on - that's sad!! Your lemon curd sponge sounds the perfect alternative ...

@ JL - I nearly stumped me too - still I obviously amused everyone ... but Mum and I really did make it. Lemon Posset is slightly different .. almost nearer zabaglione ..

@ Clarissa - I'm sure your 'little' one would be amused when you make it!

@ Jo - our cream is delicious I must say .. and actually I now want to make the pond again!!

@ Julie - writing the post was a challenge, I was really wanting time to go back a few decades and give the dessert another go ... it did taste delicious .. patience is a virtue - waiting for the next day before we could tuck in ...

@ Teresa - and you on a ladder ... I imagine we'd have a few tears? and I really don't want you breaking bones??!!

@ Christine - rush mats - from a carpet shop ... I'm not sure - we still have rush matting (I think) ...

@ Sandie - it's fun to make .. your grandson would love it - and it would amuse him!!

@ Lee - excellent ... plenty of newspapers and a ladder or steps higher than a chair and if pos a little higher than a table! Great - looking forward to the results!! At least I can't get splashed over here ..

@ Mark - cream sugar and lemon - what could be nicer?! So yes it does taste great ...

@ Manzanita - outside on a warm windless sunny day? ... thankfully the craving for sugar doesn't hit me that often ...

@ Keith - it's fun isn't it ... I was intrigued too - so intrigued I persuaded my mother we should give it a go - all those years ago.

@ Nutshell .. it is yummie .. you and your friends could make it - or give it a try?

@ Joylene - yup .. don't fancy your chair to stand on - but making the pud is fun ... and then there'd be no need to drool ... it was fun to write!

@ Julie - many thanks .. I'd be struggling for ideas - but I guess I could invent a few more!! A cooking show now ... that's a little far of the mark - but I enjoy titillating the tart a little ... ?!

@ Sara - it was fine I had a willing helper (my mother) and I was young in those days and lither! Aiming right - was the fun part ...

I'd be happy to let everyone's imagination run loose - actually putting recipes on paper is a little dangerous ... ie they possibly wouldn't work ..

But my inroads into ebooks et al .. will need to wait til after the A - Z - you're right there and thanks for giving me that break!

@ Alex - ah - now I've come up with something that you don't have an answer to!! It's fun though ..

@ Nas -- yes - different areas and traditions - probably there was more trade through Kent, whereas in Sussex it was very much more rural ... 'back then' when everything was still simple or relatively so ..

Cheers to you all .. just got back from London and these were wonderful comments to read .. hope you give the pond a try?! Hilary

cleemckenzie said...

Okay. I made it tonight. The Sussex style. It frothed beautifully from my footstool and is now in the fridge.

Anything else I should do? Help.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Lee .. crumbs splatter ... excellent ... give it a taste and see what you think .. the top should be delicious, the underneath pretty tart .. so you may need on hand some meringues - I'd suggest, and more cream and a bowl of sugar to sprinkle on as desired ...

Then tell me how delicious it is .. that is Hilary's Pond Pudding .. is the splatter one!

The Sussex Pond Pudding is essentially the suet lemon one, the Kent Pond Pudding has raisins added to the suet ...

Let me know .. my reputation depends on it?!

I await your verdict later on ..

Cheers to you .. Hilary

Anonymous said...

Not heard of this one so thank you Hilary! (She says teetering on the edge of the draining board...) Well, I exaggerate because I haven't actually tried it yet but just you wait...

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Deborah - the posts seem to have tickled everyone - which is great! Teetering off the draining board is a fun thought .. one I can easily see - just hope you and teapot survive the trial!

Cheers and I look forward to your update .. Hilary

cleemckenzie said...

It worked and it's great! I tasted it this morning, but will wait for a few more hours to really dig in. I've shared some with a friend and she's excited to try it, too!

Your reputation is in tact.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Lee .. how wonderful! I'm delighted to read this .. how fun - who would have thought I'd be able to project the fun time I had making this dish with my Mama after all those decades .. and to read that someone over a salty pond is also having fun making it!!

Fantastic .. delighted .. cheers Hilary

Laura Eno said...

It sounds wonderful and looks delicious but I'll never go to all that trouble. :/

DEZMOND said...

Now that is what I call an adventurous recipe, Hilary :)

Lisa said...

I love Dezmond's comment! And I LOVE your pudding recipes! Hungry again...

Tina said...

Cracks me UP that you have to stand on a chair to pour it. So you say you've done that??? Man, I'd love to see a picture...
Tina @ Life is Good
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge Blog
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge

MunirGhiasuddin said...

Any kind of pudding I make ends up collapsing. Could that be because I use low fat milk?

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Well it certainly sounds good! I just read C. Lee Mackenzie's post-- she tried your pond pudding recipe, and I had to pop over here and see for myself. What a strange name, pond, wonder how it got that name?

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ Laura - it's so easy! Do and leave .. then taste = smashing .. Jezebel would love it!

@ Dezmond - it is certainly fun remembering Mum and I making it .. and I love the term 'adventurous recipe' ... it tasted good!

@ Lisa - wasn't Dezmond's comment great to read .. these desserts bring back the older recipes .. and are gaining in popularity ..

@ Tina - I really did ... yes - Mum and I made it years ago .. I might try again sometime though - after this post -

Lee from TheWriteGame (see link below) did make it .. and put a photo up of her toes!!

@ Munir - I've no idea I'm afraid re the milk ... I don't make many desserts now ...

@ Karen - thanks for alerting me .. I hadn't got over to Lee's yesterday .. now I've added the link across ...

I muddled the names up .. and called mine a pond pudding - it is actually a Lemon Cream from 1814.

The Sussex Pond pudding - is a suet pud surrounded a toffee sweet sauce, the Kent one just has added currants into the suet pud ...

Cheers to you all .. this has been a fun posting .. love your comments and thoughts too ... thank you! Hilary

AJ Lauer said...

Those both sound SO delicious! Nomnom... I guess I'm in a bit of a mood for sugar.. :)

Juliet said...

You've really got my mouth watering with this one, Hilary!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Hilary! I'd never heard of Pond Pudding before. What an interesting recipe. I would imagine that the paper always got splatters of pudding on it. I wonder which got more of the pudding? The paper or the dish?

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

@ AyJay .. don't they sound delicious .. and sugar is a desire to be satisfied ...

@ Juliet - it seems to be a goodly post that everyone's enjoying ..

@ Susanne - yes it's messy to make, but as you can see if you pop over to Lee's post (link above) ... granted a fair spattering but remember this was made 200 years ago ... so understandably spattery!

Mum and I had enough to enjoy .. probably served 4 ...

Fun post though .. I've enjoyed the camaraderie we've all experienced .. cheers Hilary