Grandma's Christmas Pudding (and new silver wellies)
This year, I have found the time and inspiration to have a go at Grandma’s Christmas Pudding. She was famous in the family at large for making the very best there is, of this peculiar ‘delight’. Its sticky-black-puddingness passes this child’s sensitivities by. However, Christmas is about giving and I have several people I know who will love this, should it work out ok… I am a bit nervous to say the least, as without my eager tummy leading the way, I cannot be so sure it will have the in-greed-ient it needs!? (So, to help things along, I bought self silver well-done wellies for the taste of inspiration.)
The first time I made it, under some telephone supervision, it worked beautifully, much to my other half’s applause. The next time however, my haphazard, devil may care approach took over, and the result was nil pwan. I made a hasty retreat, as I so often have done in the face of failure, and gave up. This however, is another decade, and with my grandma no longer here, I feel the need to grow up a notch. I’ve put tender loving care and research into the making of this year’s traditional festive pudding, and time will tell if it has been a success or back to the drawing board. It will of course, be a combination of both, it will be enjoyed I’m sure and there will be improvements to be noted, I’m certain. Evolution.
The connection with my maternal heritage feels strong and comforting. As I have shopped for, prepared and made Grandma’s Christmas Pudding, I feel settled within time. The traditional, passed down recipe, made now, to be ready in a month or so’s time, makes me smile from deep inside. Delectable resourcefulness, preparedness and generosity (- did I mention how much I dislike this strange sticky black pud?) This feeling of doing the right thing, alongside a secure sense of the movement of evolution, brings a sense of timelessness. For 2018, this version is vegetarian, (tho not yet vegan), swapping Trex for suet and adding some stout to make up the umami flavour… that’s the plan, the proof of course, will be in the pudding…
