Steamed Syrup or Jam Pudding

Sorry everyone, but you’re going to have to convert from ounces to cups. I just use my scales…but that’s up to you. This recipe is quick, easy and a traditional English dessert. Served with Bird’s English custard (should be at your local grocery store) or easier yet with a scoop of ice-cream, it’s delicious! You’ll need a Pyrex bowl to cook it in. Ask your mother or grandmother, I bet they have something you could use.

Ingredients

6 oz self-rising flour or use all-purpose adding 1.5 level teaspoons of baking powder

4 oz butter or margarine

4 oz sugar

2 eggs beaten

A little milk (about 4 tablespoons)

¼ cup of Jam of your choice

Method

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter or margarine. Add the beaten eggs slowly so they don’t curdle (you can add a little flour to stop this happening.) Gradually add the flour and a little milk to give a soft dropping consistency.

Grease the bowl. Place the jam in the bottom and drop the pudding mixture on top. If you’re lucky enough to have a lid for the bowl, use it, otherwise make a lid with extra strong baking foil.

In a large saucepan, bring about two cups of water to the boil. Carefully place the pudding into the saucepan and cover with a lid. The water should come only about a third the way up the side of the basin. Steam for about 1.5 hours over a low heat. You may have to replenish the hot water. When cooked, turn the pudding upside down and enjoy.

Note: Traditionally, syrup is used in this pudding. Tate and Lyle syrup is wonderful in this recipe. World Market has it on their shelves along with Bird's English custard powder.   

Cornish Pasties

 For those of you who have never baked a Cornish Pastie...why give them a try? They are a traditional dish in the United Kingdom and a favorite enjoyed every week. It's a good way to use leftover cooked beef, and they freeze well. Served with mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables and gravy it becomes not only a healthy meal, but and a good way to stretch the dollar, too. In fact, over the next few weeks, I will be including several recipes for budget meals. With the situation as hard as it is these days...we could all do with a little extra help with our pennies.

Shortcrust Pastry 

Two cups all-purpose flour

 3/4 cup Crisco

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cold water enough to bind

Method

Combine flour, salt and Crisco in a bowl and blend together with a fork. Add about 1/4 water or just enough water to bind it all together. You can do this by adding a couple of tablespoons at a time to be sure it doesn't get too wet. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead gently for a minute using only your fingertips (the coolest part of your hand) - dust the worktop liberally with flour and roll out the pastry until it's about 1/2" in thickness. Using a small plate as a guide (about 6") cut rounds of pastry. 

Filling

About 6-8 oz cooked beef 

One small raw chopped onion

One small raw chopped potato

Salt and pepper to taste

Enough thick gravy to combine the filling (made or purchased - I use the gravy from the roast meat mixed with a little cornstarch)

1 beaten egg to brush on the pasties

How to make the pasties

Mix beef, onion, potato, gravy and salt and pepper in a bowl. Once combined, place about 1/4 cup of filling into the middle of the pastry circle. Dampen the edges and bring them vertically (so they resemble the photograph) be sure to pinch the ends together first so the gravy doesn't spill out. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil (in case the gravy spills out) and brush with beaten egg. Bake in a hot oven 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown. 

Note: Remove from the oven and place on a rack. Using a toothpick, pierce each pastie to allow steam to escape otherwise the pastie might get soggy...and we want them to be crisp. Good luck!

Food in the United Kingdom During the 50's

 Pasta was not known to the average British housewife

The word “Curry” was used as a surname

A takeaway was a math problem

A pizza had something to do with a leaning tower in Italy

Bananas and oranges would only appear at Christmastime

Crisps were plain, the only choice was whether we used a little blue bag of salt that was twisted in the bag, wrapped in greasproof paper

Rice was a milk pudding and never part of our main meal

A Big Mac was something we wore during heavy rainfalls

Brown bread was only something poor people ate

Tea was made in a teapot using leaves not little tea bags

Coffee was Camp… it came in a brown bottle

Cubed sugar was considered “posh”

Only Heinz made beans

Fish didn’t have fingers in those days

Eating raw fish was called “poverty” not Sushi

None of knew what yogurt was

Healthy food consisted of anything edible

People who didn’t peel potatoes were called “lazy”

Indian restaurants were only found in India

Cooking outside was called camping

Seaweed was not a recognized food

“Kebab” was not even a word--let alone a food

Sugar got good press in those days and was considered white gold

Prunes were only used for medicinal purposes

Surprising enough, Muesli was readily available, but it was fed to cattle

Pineapple only came in cans…we had never seen a real one, only pictures

Water came out of a tap, if somebody suggested bottling it and charging more than petrol…they would have been a laughed out of the room

BUT THE ONE THING WE HEVER HAD ON OUR TABLES IN THE 50’s WERE OUR ELBOWS!

Note: I cannot lay claim to this article...don't know where it came from but perhaps it made some people chuckle.