Those of you who know me, and there are a handful, are aware that I don’t have a sweet tooth. I would rather have a couple of starters and a main course than a sweet dessert. There was a great pastry chef called Michael Nadell who was once asked, what’s your favourite dessert? His response was “A glass of port and a piece of cheese” and I am like him. I prefer cheese, with a simple piece of fruit or chutney.
However, this book, The Pudding Club Book is fantastic. It is written by Keith and Jean Turner with Annette Balfour Lynn. A wonderful little book, and another charity shop find, but full of almost forgotten recipes from time gone by, with delicious sounding names of puds like Lord Randall’s Pudding, made with marmalade and apricots, or how about St Nicholas Pudding, another rich steam type with plums, or an Ascot Pudding sounds lovely, made with rice, mixed peel and suet, served with a sherry sweet sauce. With so many to choose as a favourite it is impossible to pick one I would want to make and eat but Granny’s Irish Pudding sounds big and bold with marmalade, cherries, suet, of course and a bottle of Guinness. The names of some are brilliant, the classic crumble and summer are here but also the elusive Sussex pond, one I have never made before. I need to roll my sleeves up and get baking.