Eve’s Pudding

If you want a good pudding, mind what you are taught;

Take eggs six in number, when bought for a groat*;

The fruit with which Eve her husband did cozzen**,

Well pared and well chopped, take at least half a dozen;

Six ounces of bread – let the cook eat the crust –

And crumble the soft as fine as the dust;

Six ounces of currants from the stalks you must sort,

Lest they husk out your teeth, and spoil all the sport;

Six ounces of sugar won't make it too sweet,

And some salt and some nutmeg will make it complete.

Three hours let it boil, without any flutter,

And Adam won't like it without sugar and butter.

I will have more to say about this rhyme a bit later on.

*n.

An English silver coin worth four pence, used from the 14th to the 17th century.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition by Houghton Mifflin Company.

** Variation of v. coz·ened, coz·en·ing, coz·ens v.tr. 1. To mislead by means of a petty trick or fraud; deceive. 2. To persuade or induce to do something by cajoling or wheedling. 3. To obtain by deceit or persuasion. v.intr. To act deceitfully. [Perhaps from Middle English cosin, fraud, trickery.] cozen·er n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

This recipe came from the Clements Library at the University of Michigan, Janice Bluestone Longone Collection and was retrieved in 2005. It appears in a number of charity cookbooks from the late nineteenth century.

 

Steamed Prune Christmas Pudding - Better Late Than Never

I don't expect to post recipes in any particular order, only as they appeal to me and/or become available through my periodic research into this area. In addition, I may comment on the recipes as I have opportunity to try them out which should be fun.

Martha Jane's Rhymed Recipes

Steamed Prune Christmas Pudding

California's prunes, they say, 

Can nowhere else be beaten.

And here's a steamed prune pudding

The best you've ever eaten.

Contents

One cup molasses, one teaspoon soda, one half (1/2) cup suet, one cup water, one teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg, two cups flour

To me a yellow bowl for cake

Is really inspiring.

My efforts of the very best

And thoughtful care requiring.

So put within a yellow bowl

Molasses, water, spice,

Stir until it's very smooth

If you would have this nice.

Sift flour in, add suet,

The cut-up prunes and when

Your soda's mixed with water 

You add the soda then.

Pour into mould and steam,

At least for full three hours.

I'll guarantee this pudding then

Would pacify the powers.

This recipe comes from the collection of the San Francisco Public Library, Women's City Club Magazine, December, 1927, p. 50.