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Christmas Pudding
As in many countries,
Christmas dinner
is very important in England, this main meal is usually eaten at lunchtime
or early afternoon on 25th December.
The
traditional English Christmas dinner consists of roast turkey, goose or
chicken served with many vegetables such as
peas, carrots, beans,
cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and
roast
potatoes.
The turkey is usually filled with a tasty stuffing made of breadcrumbs,
onions and herbs. No Christmas is complete without the traditional
dessert: Christmas
Pudding.
The
Christmas Pudding of today was completely different at its origin.
It go
back to the 14th century when a porridge called "frumenty"
was made by boiling beef and mutton with raisins, currants, plums, wines and
spices. This was similar to a soup and was eaten as a fasting dish in
preparation for the Christmas festivities. By 1595
frumenty was beginning to evolve into plum pudding; it was thickened with
eggs, breadcrumbs and dried fruit and was given more flavour with the
addition of clear beer and spirits.
Over the
years it became the customary Christmas dessert, but with the arrival of the
Puritans in 1664 it was prohibited because its rich ingredients were not
suitable "to the people that fear God".
In the
1714
plum pudding
was brought again on the table of Christmas, by George
I,
that had tasted it and enjoyed.
By
Victorian times, the plum pudding had evolved into something which looked
similar to the Christmas Puddings enjoyed by people today.
There
are many traditions and superstitions that surround the "Christmas Pudding".
Some
say to prepare the Pudding many weeks before Christmas, with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and Your Disciples.
Each
member of the family in turn, make a wish while stirs the mixture with a
spoon of wood from east to west, in honor of the three Wise Men.
It's said also that the Christmas pudding is served with flaming brandy on
Christmas day to symbolize the Christ's passion and a sprig of holly as
garniture to remember His "Crown of Thorns".
Some
families hide a coin in the pudding, like good-luck, whoever finds the coin in
own portion will have wealth, health and happiness for the coming year.
Other people add a gold ring to the mixture to discover what will get
married into next year.
It's
estimated that in the
England
over 40
million people will finish their festive meal with a bit of Christmas
pudding.
