Christmas Pudding Day

I know it's not Stir Up Sunday...wait... I don't think it's Stir Up Sunday--the day when homilies or Church readings give that subtle clue that it's time to make the Christmas pudding--but it was Christmas Pudding Day today in my little kitchen.

I've never made my own Christmas Pudding before. The booze-soaked cannonball has always been store-bought: a half-litre bowl, wrapped in red cello, with a little packet of sauce...fine enough. This year, because of five little words Mummy uttered at the end of last year's meal, I decided to make a real Christmas pudding.

Between Nigella Lawson, Delia Smith and a couple of others I had more Christmas pudding recipes than I knew what to do with. Unfortunately, some of the ingredients called for in Delia's might be difficult to source without notice (barley wine--don't even know what it tastes like). Online I found Nigel Slater's recipe, and with a few adjustments (Out! Out! Darned citron!), I now have two Christmas puddings cooling in the kitchen.

It was really, really easy...but a bit more work than I originally thought. Probably because I'm still very tired and everything is taking 50 per cent longer than normal. That said, the kitchen smells wonderful...it's amazing how two masses of soused fruits, eggs along with a handful of this, a pinch of that can put me into the Christmas spirit.

Tomorrow, after the puds have cooled, I shall seal them up for a little more than a month. I don't know what I'll do with the second pudding. Maybe I'll give it away or perhaps keep it for next year's Christmas feast.

jasmine