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Show I I For Christmas Enjoyment, Traditional Recipes Featured Plum Pudding s Favorite Finale of Feast Drawing from Book of Knowledge Bv MVK1K DILLON I -i For centuries, plum pudding has provided a flaming j finale to the traditional Christmas feast. Early in the 18th century, English cooks used the j following quaintly worded recipe in making their holi- '! day dessert: 1 "Take a quarter of a Peck of Flower and dry it,' three j Pounds of Currans, wash'd and picked clean, set them before a Fire to dry, half a Pound of Raisins of the Sun, wash'd and stoned and shred small, half a Pound of blanch'd Almonds, beat very fine with Rose-Water, a Pound of Butter melted with a Pint of Cream, but riot put in hot, a Pint of Ale-Yeast, a Penny-worth of Saf- j fron steep'd in a Pint of Sack, ten or twelve eggs, but half the Whites of them, a quarter of. an ounce of 1 Cloves and Mace, one large Nutmeg grated, a few ! Carraway-Seeds, Citron, Candied Orange and Lemon Peel slie'd; you must make it thin, or there must be ! more Butter and Cream; You may perfume it with Amber-greece ty'd in a Muslin Bag, and steep'd in the Sack all Night. "If you ice it, take half a Pound of Double-refin'd Sugar sifted; then put some of the Sugar, and beat it up with the White of an Egg, and beat it with a Whish, and a little Orange flower-water, but do not over-wet it, then throw in all Sugar by Degrees, then beat it all near an Hour; the Cake will take so long a baking; then draw it, and waft it over with a Brush, and put it in again for half a quarter of an Hour." ' A 19th century recipe for plum pudding suggests that just before serving, the holi- i day hostess turn it out of the bowl and put on top of it a few squares of cut sugar. Then she should pour on a little brandy, set it afire and proudly present it to her guests. The author of this same Victorian recipe cautiously urges that "only a little be given to the young people, as it might affect them." Today, plum pudding, from Mother's modern kitchen or the neighborhood bakery, still retains its position among the traditional Christmastime treats. ' j |