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Show Tables Laden at Yorkshire Yule Christmas Eve is known as "Frumity Night" in the North Riding Rid-ing of Yorkshire, England, on account ac-count of the delicious dish always served at the Christmas Eve supper. sup-per. This dish is made from wheat stewed ("creaved" is the local word) in the oven for several hours, then boiled with milk in a saucepan, thickened with flour, sweetened with molasses and served with cinnamon. Among the many former customs existent in Yorkshire are those governing a Christmas tea. To begin with, there is sugar-cured ham at the top of the table; the pork-pie, so golden brown outside with its pattern of pastry leaves, and so firm and luscious inside, with clear, savory jelly filling up the crannies, that the pale imitations called pork-pies pork-pies elsewhere seem really a sort of insult; the spiced loaf, cut thin, and buttered with the freshest of fresh butter; the Christmas cake in the centre, made last October at latest, and growing richer and richer in its dark solitude ever since; flaky mince-pies bursting with dried fruits and apples and spices; home-made bread; hot Sally Lunn teacakes that come in later, all hot and hot, making mak-ing everybody, however full, find room for one bit more and this no fancy picture. One can imagine no worse punishment for a greedy villain vil-lain than to sit at a table spread with a Yorkshire Christmas tea, while he gnaws digestive biscuits for ever and ever. |