In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and 
stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day, 
rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so 
how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?  
Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a 
ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
-- 
Sacha

Sacha  wrote in news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:

> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and 
> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day, 
> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so 
> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?  
> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a 
> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!

Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes 
better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.

Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will 
hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall 
about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud in a 
small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
 said:

> Sacha  wrote in news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
> 
>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
> 
> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
> 
> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud in a
> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.

Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, 
maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 
years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm 
very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm 
concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is 
properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is 
one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling 
it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the first 
place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!
-- 
Sacha

Sacha  wrote in
news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net: 

> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>  said:
> 
>> Sacha  wrote in
>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net: 
>> 
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?
>>>   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size
>>> etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry
>>> is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>> 
>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>> 
>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to
>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
> 
> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, 
> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 
> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm
> very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm 
> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is 
> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which
> is one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes
> boiling it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the
> first place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!

I am reasonably sure it will work just as well as a 21st century 
microwave Christmas pud recipe.  Certainly the re-heating won't be an 
issue even if you're worried about the initial cook.

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>  said:
>
>> Sacha  wrote in 
>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>
>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>
>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud in 
>> a
>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>
> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, maybe 
> more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 years ago 
> and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm very glad to 
> see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm concerned about 
> flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is properly cooked right 
> through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is one of the reasons I'm 
> anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling it for 8 hours or steaming 
> it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour thing on 
> Christmas Day.  Phew!
> -- 
> Sacha
>
I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the pudding 
basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you arise on xmas 
morning, and forget about it.
Graham

On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>  said:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>> 
>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>> 
>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>> 
>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud in
>>> a
>>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>> 
>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, maybe
>> more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 years ago
>> and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm very glad to
>> see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm concerned about
>> flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is properly cooked right
>> through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is one of the reasons I'm
>> anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling it for 8 hours or steaming
>> it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour thing on
>> Christmas Day.  Phew!
>> --
>> Sacha
>> 
> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the pudding
> basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you arise on xmas
> morning, and forget about it.
> Graham

I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your 
suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my Christmas 
treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My daughter and 
step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the kitchen - they're 
taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but neither has made a 
Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas Day, so I'd like to try 
to make it easier for them.
-- 
Sacha

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:
>
>>
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>  said:
>>>
>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>
>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If 
>>>>> so
>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>
>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>>>
>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>>>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>>>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud 
>>>> in
>>>> a
>>>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>
>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, 
>>> maybe
>>> more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 years ago
>>> and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm very glad 
>>> to
>>> see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm concerned about
>>> flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is properly cooked right
>>> through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is one of the reasons I'm
>>> anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling it for 8 hours or 
>>> steaming
>>> it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour thing 
>>> on
>>> Christmas Day.  Phew!
>>> --
>>> Sacha
>>>
>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the 
>> pudding
>> basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you arise on xmas
>> morning, and forget about it.
>> Graham
>
> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your 
> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my Christmas 
> treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My daughter and 
> step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the kitchen - they're 
> taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but neither has made a 
> Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas Day, so I'd like to try to 
> make it easier for them.
> -- 
> Sacha
>
There's always this:
http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-christmas-pudding.html
My late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
Graham

On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:

>In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and 
>stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day, 
>rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so 
>how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?

Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)

  
>Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a 
>ferreting nuisance every Christmas!

Pressure cooker job, innit?
-- 

Martin

Sacha  wrote:
> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and 
> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day, 
> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so 
> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?  
> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a 
> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!

I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)

On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>> so
>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>> 
>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>>>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>>>>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>>>>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud
>>>>> in
>>>>> a
>>>>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>> 
>>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess,
>>>> maybe
>>>> more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 years ago
>>>> and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm very glad
>>>> to
>>>> see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm concerned about
>>>> flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is properly cooked right
>>>> through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is one of the reasons I'm
>>>> anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling it for 8 hours or
>>>> steaming
>>>> it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour thing
>>>> on
>>>> Christmas Day.  Phew!
>>>> --
>>>> Sacha
>>>> 
>>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the
>>> pudding
>>> basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you arise on xmas
>>> morning, and forget about it.
>>> Graham
>> 
>> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your
>> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my Christmas
>> treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My daughter and
>> step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the kitchen - they're
>> taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but neither has made a
>> Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas Day, so I'd like to try to
>> make it easier for them.
>> --
>> Sacha
>> 
> There's always this:
> http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-christmas-pudding.html
My 
> 
> late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
> Graham

Tsk!  Far too easy.  ;-))  This is the one Eunice bequeathed to us:

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

1 large carrot
1/2 lb Self Raising Flour
1/2 lb Breadcrumbs
1/2lb Shredded suet
1/2 lb currants
1/2lb stoned raisins
1/2lb sultanas
1/4lb prunes
2 oz blanched flaked almonds
1 cooking apple
1 lemon, rind and juice
1/4lb mixed peel
1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
6oz Demerara sugar
4 beaten eggs
1/2 gill Brandy (optional)
1 1/2 gills milk (more if required)

(1 gill =1/4 Imperial pint)

Mix the flour, bread crumbs and suet.  Chop the peel if necesary, the 
raisins, almonds, carrot and apple.  Mix all the ingredients and 
flavouring.  Add the beaten eggs together with the brandy, lemon juice 
and milk to the other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly and put the mixture 
into greased basins.  Cover with greaseproof paper and a pudding cloth. 
 Boil for 8 hours or steam for 10 hours.  When the puddings are cold, 
remove the cloth and paper.  Cover with greaseproof paper and clean, 
ungreased cloth.  Hang in an airy larder or store in a cool, ventilated 
place.  When required, steam for 3 hours.

I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally 
and the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the 
prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that 
in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the 
original recipe than there is for me now.

-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:

> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
> 
>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
> 
> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
> 
> 
>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
> 
> Pressure cooker job, innit?

Ain't got one, don't want one!
-- 
Sacha

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>
> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally and 
> the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the prunes 
> stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that in but 
> translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the original 
> recipe than there is for me now.
>
> -- 
> Sacha
>
I soak the fruit overnight in brandy and add guinness to the mix as well.
Graham

On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:

> Sacha  wrote:
>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
> 
> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)

Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the 
past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I 
think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated 
drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or 
hung on hooks
in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this 
house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It 
faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which 
would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only 
warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
-- 
Sacha

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7ker5dF38l5vjU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>
>> Sacha  wrote:
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>
>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>
> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the past 
> I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I think. 
> Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated drawer 
> might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or hung on 
> hooks
> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this 
> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It faces 
> north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which would have 
> had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only warm in summer if 
> someone's cooking in it!
> -- 
> Sacha
>
I kept one in my basement storage room for several years and it was OK. 
Temperature around 16C.
Graham

On Oct 23, 11:56 pm, Sacha  wrote:
> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 퍝, "graham"  said:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Sacha"  wrote in message
> >news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net...
> >> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 퍝, "graham"  said:
>
> >>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> >>>news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
> >>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 퍝, Adrian Tupper
> >>>>  said:
>
> >>>>> Sacha  wrote in
> >>>>>news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>
> >>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
> >>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
> >>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
> >>>>>> so
> >>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
> >>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
> >>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>
> >>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
> >>>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>
> >>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
> >>>>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
> >>>>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud
> >>>>> in
> >>>>> a
> >>>>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>
> >>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess,
> >>>> maybe
> >>>> more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 years ago
> >>>> and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm very glad
> >>>> to
> >>>> see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm concerned about
> >>>> flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is properly cooked right
> >>>> through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is one of the reasons I'm
> >>>> anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling it for 8 hours or
> >>>> steaming
> >>>> it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour thing
> >>>> on
> >>>> Christmas Day.  Phew!
> >>>> --
> >>>> Sacha
>
> >>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the
> >>> pudding
> >>> basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you arise on xmas
> >>> morning, and forget about it.
> >>> Graham
>
> >> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your
> >> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my Christmas
> >> treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My daughter and
> >> step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the kitchen - they're
> >> taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but neither has made a
> >> Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas Day, so I'd like to try to
> >> make it easier for them.
> >> --
> >> Sacha
>
> > There's always this:
> >http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-christmas...
> My
>
> > late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
> > Graham
>
> Tsk!  Far too easy.  ;-))  This is the one Eunice bequeathed to us:
>
> CHRISTMAS PUDDING
>
> 1 large carrot
> 1/2 lb Self Raising Flour
> 1/2 lb Breadcrumbs
> 1/2lb Shredded suet
> 1/2 lb currants
> 1/2lb stoned raisins
> 1/2lb sultanas
> 1/4lb prunes
> 2 oz blanched flaked almonds
> 1 cooking apple
> 1 lemon, rind and juice
> 1/4lb mixed peel
> 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
> 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
> 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 6oz Demerara sugar
> 4 beaten eggs
> 1/2 gill Brandy (optional)
> 1 1/2 gills milk (more if required)
>
> (1 gill =1/4 Imperial pint)
>
> Mix the flour, bread crumbs and suet.  Chop the peel if necesary, the
> raisins, almonds, carrot and apple.  Mix all the ingredients and
> flavouring.  Add the beaten eggs together with the brandy, lemon juice
> and milk to the other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly and put the mixture
> into greased basins.  Cover with greaseproof paper and a pudding cloth.
>  Boil for 8 hours or steam for 10 hours.  When the puddings are cold,
> remove the cloth and paper.  Cover with greaseproof paper and clean,
> ungreased cloth.  Hang in an airy larder or store in a cool, ventilated
> place.  When required, steam for 3 hours.
>
> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally
> and the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the
> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that
> in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the
> original recipe than there is for me now.
>
> --
> Sacha

What would you suggest as a suet substitute? The recipe sounds
incredible, but suet is out for us.

The message 
from Adrian Tupper 
contains these words:

> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes 
> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.

    Just as a matter of interest, can you tell any difference between
baked potatoes  done in the oven and in a microwave?

   

   Janet

The message 
from  contains these words:

> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)

   It may have been too warm or humid in your kitchen, which would
encourage mould.
   I park ours in the loft, which is  the coolest place in the house.

    Janet

The message 
from CP  contains these words:


> What would you suggest as a suet substitute? The recipe sounds
> incredible, but suet is out for us.

 vegetable suet?  I think its made from palm oil. Or is it the fat level
you can't use?

   Janet

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:52:12 +0200, Martin <me@address.invalid> wrote:

>On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>
>>In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and 
>>stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day, 
>>rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so 
>>how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>
>Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>
>  
>>Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a 
>>ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>
>Pressure cooker job, innit?

That's what I use. I haven't got a microwave.

Steve

On Oct 24, 12:57 am, Janet Baraclough 
wrote:
> The message 
> from CP  contains these words:
>
> > What would you suggest as a suet substitute? The recipe sounds
> > incredible, but suet is out for us.
>
>  vegetable suet?  I think its made from palm oil. Or is it the fat level
> you can't use?
>
>    Janet

No, vegetable suet would be fine. Thanks!

On 2009-10-24 00:00:48 +0100, "graham"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>> 
>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally and
>> the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the prunes
>> stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that in but
>> translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the original
>> recipe than there is for me now.
>> 
>> --
>> Sacha
>> 
> I soak the fruit overnight in brandy and add guinness to the mix as well.
> Graham

She was a strict Methodist, so I'm amazed even that much brandy crept in!
-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 00:39:06 +0100, CP  said:

> On Oct 23, 11:56 pm, Sacha  wrote:
>> <snip>Mix the flour, bread crumbs and suet.  <snip>
>> --
>> Sacha
> 
> What would you suggest as a suet substitute? The recipe sounds
> incredible, but suet is out for us.

I believe there's now a vegetarian substitute but can't help with 
names, I'm afraid.
-- 
Sacha

On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
 wrote:

>Sacha  wrote in news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>
>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and 
>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day, 
>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so 
>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?  
>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a 
>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>
>Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes 
>better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>
>Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will 
>hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall 
>about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud in a 
>small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.

10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas pudding.
-- 

Martin

On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:

> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>  wrote:
> 
>> Sacha  wrote in news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>> 
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>> 
>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>> 
>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud in a
>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
> 
> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas pudding.

Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I 
suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to check 
it's cooked!
-- 
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:

>On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>
>> Sacha  wrote:
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>> 
>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>
>Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the 
>past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I 
>think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated 
>drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or 
>hung on hooks
>in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this 
>house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It 
>faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which 
>would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only 
>warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!

We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we bought it.
The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
-- 

Martin

On Oct 24, 1:51 am, CP  wrote:
> On Oct 24, 12:57 am, Janet Baraclough 
> wrote:
>
> > The message 
> > from CP  contains these words:
>
> > > What would you suggest as a suet substitute? The recipe sounds
> > > incredible, but suet is out for us.
>
> >  vegetable suet?  I think its made from palm oil. Or is it the fat level
> > you can't use?
>
> >    Janet
>
> No, vegetable suet would be fine. Thanks!

It is extremely bad for your health you know?  If you are interested I
can give you the scientific data, not mine of course, my husband's?

Judith

On Oct 23, 6:46 pm, Sacha  wrote:
> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?  
> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
> --
> Sacha

Sacha, as you know I used to make all my own puds.    I used to steam
one on Christmas morning.  One year, I think I posted on this years
ago, we had Dutch friends staying and about 40-50 coming for drinks at
11a.m. Amidst all the chatter I forgot to put on the pudding, so I
microwaved it.  It went on fire, I poured Cognac onto the top when
microwaving.  I promise you the kitchen smelled for years afterwards,
so be cautious when microwaving.

Judith

On Oct 23, 11:55 pm,  wrote:
> Sacha  wrote:
> > In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
> > stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
> > rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
> > how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?  
> > Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
> > ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>
> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)

Next time, pour some Cognac onto the top of the pudding before sealing
it in greaseproof paper and keeping it in a cool place.

Judith

On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:

> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
> 
>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>> 
>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>> 
>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>> hung on hooks
>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
> 
> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we 
> bought it.
> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.

'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and 
'stuff' running through it.  Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)  My recipe 
says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a 
disc of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to 
find some muslin, now....sigh....
-- 
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

On 2009-10-24 11:01:07 +0100, Judith in France 
 said:

> On Oct 23, 6:46 pm, Sacha  wrote:
>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?  
>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>> --
>> Sacha
> 
> Sacha, as you know I used to make all my own puds.    I used to steam
> one on Christmas morning.  One year, I think I posted on this years
> ago, we had Dutch friends staying and about 40-50 coming for drinks at
> 11a.m. Amidst all the chatter I forgot to put on the pudding, so I
> microwaved it.  It went on fire, I poured Cognac onto the top when
> microwaving.  I promise you the kitchen smelled for years afterwards,
> so be cautious when microwaving.
> 
> Judith

That's what I'm worried about.  I'm not going to be allowed in there at 
all so 'the girls' are going to be in charge.  Now I'm wondering if the 
trade off is that I get to do  *all* the washing up!  ;-)
You don't seem to have much luck with your kitchens and things going on 
fire!!   Perhaps you should emulate a French friend of mine in St Malo 
- he has a little fireplace in a stone outhouse attached to the house.  
When he wants to grill things, he goes in there and uses e.g. clippings 
from vines and sizzles things happily and safely.  His wife is more 
than content.  ;-)
-- 
Sacha

CP  wrote in
news:8e574d25-0069-4a99-abfb-4ebaf1892df6@d34g2000vbm.googlegroups.com: 

> On Oct 24, 12:57 am, Janet Baraclough 
> wrote:
>> The message
>> <387b2d26-1022-4257-a88b-9fcb692bb...@h2g2000vbd.googlegroups 
> .com>
>> from CP  contains these words:
>>
>> > What would you suggest as a suet substitute? The recipe sounds
>> > incredible, but suet is out for us.
>>
>>  vegetable suet?  I think its made from palm oil. Or is it the fat le
> vel
>> you can't use?
>>
>>    Janet
> 
> No, vegetable suet would be fine. Thanks!

The "Broadland" brand is widely available.  Or was last Christmas anyway.


-- 
Adrian
Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

Sacha  wrote in
news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net: 

> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
> 
>> 
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>>>>>>> and stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on
>>>>>>> Christmas Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently)
>>>>>>> mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry
>>>>>>> is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>> difference. 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times -
>>>>>> these will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight. 
>>>>>> I seem to recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day
>>>>>> to re-heat for a pud in
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough
>>>>> guess, maybe
>>>>> more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20
>>>>> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But
>>>>> I'm very glad to
>>>>> see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm concerned
>>>>> about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is properly
>>>>> cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is one
>>>>> of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling
>>>>> it for 8 hours or steaming
>>>>> it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour
>>>>> thing on
>>>>> Christmas Day.  Phew!
>>>>> --
>>>>> Sacha
>>>>> 
>>>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the
>>>> pudding
>>>> basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you arise on
>>>> xmas morning, and forget about it.
>>>> Graham
>>> 
>>> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your
>>> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my
>>> Christmas treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My
>>> daughter and step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the
>>> kitchen - they're taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but
>>> neither has made a Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas
>>> Day, so I'd like to try to make it easier for them.
>>> --
>>> Sacha
>>> 
>> There's always this:
>> http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-
christmas-
>> pudding.html 
> My 
>> 
>> late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
>> Graham
> 
> Tsk!  Far too easy.  ;-))  This is the one Eunice bequeathed to us:
> 
> CHRISTMAS PUDDING
> 
> 1 large carrot
> 1/2 lb Self Raising Flour
> 1/2 lb Breadcrumbs
> 1/2lb Shredded suet
> 1/2 lb currants
> 1/2lb stoned raisins
> 1/2lb sultanas
> 1/4lb prunes
> 2 oz blanched flaked almonds
> 1 cooking apple
> 1 lemon, rind and juice
> 1/4lb mixed peel
> 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
> 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
> 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 6oz Demerara sugar
> 4 beaten eggs
> 1/2 gill Brandy (optional)
> 1 1/2 gills milk (more if required)
> 
> (1 gill =1/4 Imperial pint)
> 
> Mix the flour, bread crumbs and suet.  Chop the peel if necesary, the 
> raisins, almonds, carrot and apple.  Mix all the ingredients and 
> flavouring.  Add the beaten eggs together with the brandy, lemon juice
> and milk to the other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly and put the mixture
> into greased basins.  Cover with greaseproof paper and a pudding
> cloth. 
>  Boil for 8 hours or steam for 10 hours.  When the puddings are cold, 
> remove the cloth and paper.  Cover with greaseproof paper and clean, 
> ungreased cloth.  Hang in an airy larder or store in a cool,
> ventilated place.  When required, steam for 3 hours.
> 
> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally 
> and the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the 
> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that 
> in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the 
> original recipe than there is for me now.

I still say you could cook this in a microwave.  Although I understand 
that may seem rather sacreligious to your treasured family recipe.

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

Janet Baraclough  wrote in 
news:31303030393032394AE24FEB14@zetnet.co.uk:

> The message 
> from Adrian Tupper 
> contains these words:
> 
>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes 
>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
> 
>     Just as a matter of interest, can you tell any difference between
> baked potatoes  done in the oven and in a microwave?

Yes, mainly because the texture of the skin.  And the inside might be a 
little soggier than oven-baked.

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

Sacha  wrote in
news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net: 

> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
> 
>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>  wrote:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net: 
>>> 
>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>> 
>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>> difference. 
>>> 
>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to
>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>> 
>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas
>> pudding. 
> 
> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I 
> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to check
> it's cooked!

My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.

(although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so 
transparent to microwaves as plastic)

Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I 
wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

On 2009-10-24 11:32:36 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
 said:

> Sacha  wrote in
> news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net:
> 
>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>  said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>>>>>>>> and stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on
>>>>>>>> Christmas Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently)
>>>>>>>> mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry
>>>>>>>> is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times -
>>>>>>> these will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.
>>>>>>> I seem to recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day
>>>>>>> to re-heat for a pud in
>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough
>>>>>> guess, maybe
>>>>>> more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20
>>>>>> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But
>>>>>> I'm very glad to
>>>>>> see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm concerned
>>>>>> about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is properly
>>>>>> cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is one
>>>>>> of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling
>>>>>> it for 8 hours or steaming
>>>>>> it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour
>>>>>> thing on
>>>>>> Christmas Day.  Phew!
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Sacha
>>>>>> 
>>>>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the
>>>>> pudding
>>>>> basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you arise on
>>>>> xmas morning, and forget about it.
>>>>> Graham
>>>> 
>>>> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your
>>>> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my
>>>> Christmas treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My
>>>> daughter and step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the
>>>> kitchen - they're taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but
>>>> neither has made a Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas
>>>> Day, so I'd like to try to make it easier for them.
>>>> --
>>>> Sacha
>>>> 
>>> There's always this:
>>> http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-
> christmas-
>>> pudding.html
>> My
>>> 
>>> late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
>>> Graham
>> 
>> Tsk!  Far too easy.  ;-))  This is the one Eunice bequeathed to us:
>> 
>> CHRISTMAS PUDDING
>> <snip>
> 
> I still say you could cook this in a microwave.  Although I understand
> that may seem rather sacreligious to your treasured family recipe.

Oh, I'm not a purist and am very happy to try it.  My daughter won't 
care either way, because she hates it and my step-daughter, who loves 
Christmas pudding will have to be on watch.
-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
 said:

> Sacha  wrote in
> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
> 
>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>> 
>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>  wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>> 
>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>> 
>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>> difference.
>>>> 
>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to
>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>> 
>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas
>>> pudding.
>> 
>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I
>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to check
>> it's cooked!
> 
> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
> 
> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
> 
> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.

I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-fashioned 
fairly thick white china ones.
-- 
Sacha

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kfto8F376k20U1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-24 00:00:48 +0100, "graham"  said:
>
>>
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>
>>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally 
>>> and
>>> the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the prunes
>>> stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that in but
>>> translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the original
>>> recipe than there is for me now.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Sacha
>>>
>> I soak the fruit overnight in brandy and add guinness to the mix as well.
>> Graham
>
> She was a strict Methodist, so I'm amazed even that much brandy crept in!
> -- 
> Sacha
>
My ex's uncle was a fairly strict Baptist.  It took him 3 years of Bible 
study to conclude that it was OK to brew his own beer{:-)
Graham

On 2009-10-24 14:40:15 +0100, "graham"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7kfto8F376k20U1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-24 00:00:48 +0100, "graham"  said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>> 
>>>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally
>>>> and
>>>> the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the prunes
>>>> stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that in but
>>>> translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the original
>>>> recipe than there is for me now.
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Sacha
>>>> 
>>> I soak the fruit overnight in brandy and add guinness to the mix as well.
>>> Graham
>> 
>> She was a strict Methodist, so I'm amazed even that much brandy crept in!
>> --
>> Sacha
>> 
> My ex's uncle was a fairly strict Baptist.  It took him 3 years of Bible
> study to conclude that it was OK to brew his own beer{:-)
> Graham

The theology must have been very intricate!
-- 
Sacha

Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
@mid.individual.net:

> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>  said:
> 
>> Sacha  wrote in
>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>> 
>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>  wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked 
and
>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>> 
>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>> difference.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem 
to
>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>> 
>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas
>>>> pudding.
>>> 
>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I
>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to 
check
>>> it's cooked!
>> 
>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>> 
>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>> 
>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
> 
> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
fashioned 
> fairly thick white china ones.

Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will 
probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the 
steam!  (or use plastic bowls)

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

Sacha  wrote in
news:7kgfjrF39jp1qU1@mid.individual.net: 

> On 2009-10-24 14:40:15 +0100, "graham"  said:
> 
>> 
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7kfto8F376k20U1@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-24 00:00:48 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>> news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped
>>>>> originally and
>>>>> the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the
>>>>> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept
>>>>> that in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in
>>>>> making the original recipe than there is for me now.
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> Sacha
>>>>> 
>>>> I soak the fruit overnight in brandy and add guinness to the mix as
>>>> well. Graham
>>> 
>>> She was a strict Methodist, so I'm amazed even that much brandy
>>> crept in! --
>>> Sacha
>>> 
>> My ex's uncle was a fairly strict Baptist.  It took him 3 years of
>> Bible study to conclude that it was OK to brew his own beer{:-)
>> Graham
> 
> The theology must have been very intricate!

Yes, and it does make me wonder if a little creative interpretation can 
justify virtually anything.  Come to think of it, various religious 
cults do manage to justify paedophilia, domestic violence, multiple 
marriages, homophobia, racial hatred etc.  That said, I don't see 
anything in the Bible myself to prohibit alcohol.  Jesus created gallons 
of it once - as a kind of home brew I suppose.

I once knew someone religious who wouldn't use food colouring because it 
was dissolved in alcohol.

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

On 2009-10-24 15:43:14 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
 said:

> Sacha  wrote in
> news:7kgfjrF39jp1qU1@mid.individual.net:
> 
>> On 2009-10-24 14:40:15 +0100, "graham"  said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7kfto8F376k20U1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-24 00:00:48 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>>> news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped
>>>>>> originally and
>>>>>> the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the
>>>>>> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept
>>>>>> that in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in
>>>>>> making the original recipe than there is for me now.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Sacha
>>>>>> 
>>>>> I soak the fruit overnight in brandy and add guinness to the mix as
>>>>> well. Graham
>>>> 
>>>> She was a strict Methodist, so I'm amazed even that much brandy
>>>> crept in! --
>>>> Sacha
>>>> 
>>> My ex's uncle was a fairly strict Baptist.  It took him 3 years of
>>> Bible study to conclude that it was OK to brew his own beer{:-)
>>> Graham
>> 
>> The theology must have been very intricate!
> 
> Yes, and it does make me wonder if a little creative interpretation can
> justify virtually anything.  Come to think of it, various religious
> cults do manage to justify paedophilia, domestic violence, multiple
> marriages, homophobia, racial hatred etc.  That said, I don't see
> anything in the Bible myself to prohibit alcohol.  Jesus created gallons
> of it once - as a kind of home brew I suppose.

Well, it was safer than the water.......!
> 
> I once knew someone religious who wouldn't use food colouring because it
> was dissolved in alcohol.

A few years ago we were invited to the Commodore's cocktail party at 
HMS Britannia, Dartmouth.  As guests arrive, a cadet is detailed off to 
escort them into the Quarterdeck and up to the Commodore and his wife, 
getting them a drink en route.  Our escort at the first party we went 
to was a very strict Muslim.  Not only would he not bring us a drink, 
he wouldn't carry a tray with drinks on it!   He was perfectly polite 
about it, explaining it to us carefully and I was quite interested that 
he couldn't even touch the tray when actually doing his job.  I 
mentioned this to our friend, who was then the Commander and he was 
astonished this chap had been detailed off for that job.  He said he'd 
make sure that cadet wasn't asked to do that again because it was 
potentially embarrasing for guests and for him.  It didn't worry us but 
I suppose others might have been a bit put out.
-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 15:38:54 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
 said:

> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
> @mid.individual.net:
> 
>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>  said:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>> 
>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
> and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem
> to
>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas
>>>>> pudding.
>>>> 
>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I
>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
> check
>>>> it's cooked!
>>> 
>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>> 
>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>> 
>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>> 
>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
> fashioned
>> fairly thick white china ones.
> 
> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)

Groan.  Off to the Lakeland site.........!   ;-)
-- 
Sacha

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kgjpjF38p3r5U1@mid.individual.net...
>
> A few years ago we were invited to the Commodore's cocktail party at HMS 
> Britannia, Dartmouth.  As guests arrive, a cadet is detailed off to escort 
> them into the Quarterdeck and up to the Commodore and his wife, getting 
> them a drink en route.  Our escort at the first party we went to was a 
> very strict Muslim.  Not only would he not bring us a drink, he wouldn't 
> carry a tray with drinks on it!   He was perfectly polite about it, 
> explaining it to us carefully and I was quite interested that he couldn't 
> even touch the tray when actually doing his job.  I mentioned this to our 
> friend, who was then the Commander and he was astonished this chap had 
> been detailed off for that job.  He said he'd make sure that cadet wasn't 
> asked to do that again because it was potentially embarrasing for guests 
> and for him.  It didn't worry us but I suppose others might have been a 
> bit put out.
> -- 
> Sacha
>

Maybe said "escort cadet" should have considered another career if there 
were so many pitfalls ready to present themselves to him in his chosen one.

I mean to say, having the personal deciding/religious factors of "I am not 
allowed to drink, nor to be anywhere near drink, nor even to touch anything 
which may have a drink placed upon it" sounds to me like a good reason for 
crossing the RN off any list of employers which that young chap felt like 
applying to.

-- 
Pete

The message 
from Martin <me@address.invalid> contains these words:

> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one
> September forgot
> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard
> under the
> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite
> the very
> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
> bought it.

  You really need to store them COOL, far away from centrally heated comfort.
  We just ate one (in September) and it was perfect. It was a spare made
last November and stored
in the loft , where it got forgotten. 

   Ours are made in a china bowl,  topped with a pleated  layer of
greaseproof paper plus a pleated  double layer of foil, tied on
with string.  (the two pleats are at rightangles to allow for steam
expansion)  After the initial cooking, the pud is allowed to cool then a
fresh GPP and foil lid applied the same way, for storage. The fresh lid
stays on for the final cooling. 

    Janet

On 2009-10-24 17:27:39 +0100, "Pete"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7kgjpjF38p3r5U1@mid.individual.net...
>> 
>> A few years ago we were invited to the Commodore's cocktail party at HMS
>> Britannia, Dartmouth.  As guests arrive, a cadet is detailed off to escort
>> them into the Quarterdeck and up to the Commodore and his wife, getting
>> them a drink en route.  Our escort at the first party we went to was a
>> very strict Muslim.  Not only would he not bring us a drink, he wouldn't
>> carry a tray with drinks on it!   He was perfectly polite about it,
>> explaining it to us carefully and I was quite interested that he couldn't
>> even touch the tray when actually doing his job.  I mentioned this to our
>> friend, who was then the Commander and he was astonished this chap had
>> been detailed off for that job.  He said he'd make sure that cadet wasn't
>> asked to do that again because it was potentially embarrasing for guests
>> and for him.  It didn't worry us but I suppose others might have been a
>> bit put out.
>> --
>> Sacha
>> 
> 
> Maybe said "escort cadet" should have considered another career if there
> were so many pitfalls ready to present themselves to him in his chosen one.
> 
> I mean to say, having the personal deciding/religious factors of "I am not
> allowed to drink, nor to be anywhere near drink, nor even to touch anything
> which may have a drink placed upon it" sounds to me like a good reason for
> crossing the RN off any list of employers which that young chap felt like
> applying to.

But Dartmouth brings huge amounts of foreign dosh into this country by 
training the future naval officers of other countries.  Just like 
Sandhurst trained the late King of Jordan.  'Our' cadet wasn't going to 
join our Royal Navy but his country was paying for him to be trained 
here.

-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 17:42:52 +0100, Stephen Wolstenholme 
 said:

> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:11:47 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
> 
>> A few years ago we were invited to the Commodore's cocktail party at
>> HMS Britannia, Dartmouth.  As guests arrive, a cadet is detailed off to
>> escort them into the Quarterdeck and up to the Commodore and his wife,
>> getting them a drink en route.  Our escort at the first party we went
>> to was a very strict Muslim.  Not only would he not bring us a drink,
>> he wouldn't carry a tray with drinks on it!   He was perfectly polite
>> about it, explaining it to us carefully and I was quite interested that
>> he couldn't even touch the tray when actually doing his job.  I
>> mentioned this to our friend, who was then the Commander and he was
>> astonished this chap had been detailed off for that job.  He said he'd
>> make sure that cadet wasn't asked to do that again because it was
>> potentially embarrasing for guests and for him.  It didn't worry us but
>> I suppose others might have been a bit put out.
> 
> Ages ago I worked with a chap with a similar approach to avoiding
> contact with alcohol. He wouldn't even risk breathing the fumes so he
> avoided any place that served drinks. It was quite amusing at times
> when we had to divert our lunch time walks around the city to miss all
> the pubs. He often made a joke about sniffing alcohol on the breeze
> but I know that deep down he was deadly serious,
> 
> Steve

Phew!  That's a bit OTT, surely?
-- 
Sacha

In article , Adrian
Tupper  writes
>Sacha  wrote in
>news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net: 
>
>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>>  said:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net: 
>>> 
>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?
>>>>   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size
>>>> etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry
>>>> is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>> 
>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>> 
>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to
>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>> 
>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, 
>> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 
>> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm
>> very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm 
>> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is 
>> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which
>> is one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes
>> boiling it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the
>> first place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!
>
>I am reasonably sure it will work just as well as a 21st century 
>microwave Christmas pud recipe.  Certainly the re-heating won't be an 
>issue even if you're worried about the initial cook.
>

I steam ours a day or two before and then just microwave it to heat it
up on the day - you get a decent cook and its not cluttering up the hob
during Xmas dinner preparations.

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kgpv1F3ab0geU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-24 17:27:39 +0100, "Pete"  said:
>
>>
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7kgjpjF38p3r5U1@mid.individual.net...
>>>
>>> A few years ago we were invited to the Commodore's cocktail party at HMS
>>> Britannia, Dartmouth.  As guests arrive, a cadet is detailed off to 
>>> escort
>>> them into the Quarterdeck and up to the Commodore and his wife, getting
>>> them a drink en route.  Our escort at the first party we went to was a
>>> very strict Muslim.  Not only would he not bring us a drink, he wouldn't
>>> carry a tray with drinks on it!   He was perfectly polite about it,
>>> explaining it to us carefully and I was quite interested that he 
>>> couldn't
>>> even touch the tray when actually doing his job.  I mentioned this to 
>>> our
>>> friend, who was then the Commander and he was astonished this chap had
>>> been detailed off for that job.  He said he'd make sure that cadet 
>>> wasn't
>>> asked to do that again because it was potentially embarrasing for guests
>>> and for him.  It didn't worry us but I suppose others might have been a
>>> bit put out.
>>> --
>>> Sacha
>>>
>>
>> Maybe said "escort cadet" should have considered another career if there
>> were so many pitfalls ready to present themselves to him in his chosen 
>> one.
>>
>> I mean to say, having the personal deciding/religious factors of "I am 
>> not
>> allowed to drink, nor to be anywhere near drink, nor even to touch 
>> anything
>> which may have a drink placed upon it" sounds to me like a good reason 
>> for
>> crossing the RN off any list of employers which that young chap felt like
>> applying to.
>
> But Dartmouth brings huge amounts of foreign dosh into this country by 
> training the future naval officers of other countries.  Just like 
> Sandhurst trained the late King of Jordan.  'Our' cadet wasn't going to 
> join our Royal Navy but his country was paying for him to be trained here.
>
> -- 
> Sacha

Thank you for explaining the situation, and now I understand and I'm sorry 
for my misunderstanding of what was going on. The Commander was indeed 
correct in his comments.

-- 
Pete

"Janet Baraclough"  wrote in message 
news:31303030393032394AE3375423@zetnet.co.uk...
>
>   Ours are made in a china bowl,  topped with a pleated  layer of
> greaseproof paper plus a pleated  double layer of foil, tied on
> with string.  (the two pleats are at rightangles to allow for steam
> expansion)  After the initial cooking, the pud is allowed to cool then a
> fresh GPP and foil lid applied the same way, for storage. The fresh lid
> stays on for the final cooling.
>
>    Janet

That sounds just absolutely perfick and is exactly the way we did ours years 
ago, right down to the pleated greaseproof and double pleated foil, tied 
with string, *and* the new wrappings applied after proper cooling.

Perhaps the problems in storage mentioned in other posts have maybe been 
caused through leaving the original covering on the pud? This would have 
slowly cooled with all sorts of condensation lurgies (and there can be 
*many* such things!) coming to life in that perfect atmosphere of time, 
moisture, warmth *and* food source and establishing themselves in some force 
before the pud was eventually moved to a more suitable environment.

As I said a while ago, it was demonstrated to me, and I saw for myself, just 
how dangerous (and indeed fatal) it can turn out to be if the cooling of 
food is not done very quickly and safely under the most hygienic conditions 
possible. (I don't mean your Christmas puds will kill you if not handled 
right, but other foods can *and* will.)

-- 
Pete

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:08:53 +0100, Sacha  wrote:

>On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>
>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>> 
>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>> 
>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>> 
>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>> hung on hooks
>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>> 
>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we 
>> bought it.
>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>
>'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and 
>'stuff' running through it.  

None of that. It is both the driest and the coolest place in the house. That's
why we put the pudding there.
It wasn't the mold that made it inedible. The suet had gone rancid.


>Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)  

I'll look for one on a bare mountain side the next time we are in Greece. :)

>My recipe 
>says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a 
>disc of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to 
>find some muslin, now....sigh....

Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are wrapped in it
when delivered.
-- 

Martin

On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:51:52 +0100, Sacha  wrote:

>On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>
>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>  wrote:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>> 
>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>> 
>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>> 
>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud in a
>>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>> 
>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas pudding.
>
>Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I 
>suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to check 
>it's cooked!

or an oven thermometer. No I don't know what the temperature should be in the
middle. :o)

It was a large pudding.
-- 

Martin

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
> I've got to find some muslin, now....sigh....

Seems like a better bet than the usual 12 inch square tiny bits sold by the 
likes of Lakeland:

http://www.cookability.biz/kitchen-craft-butter-muslin/b_341.htm?SRC=GB1

I ain't checked out p&p

-- 
Pete

"Martin" <me@address.invalid> wrote in message 
news:l5i6e5deq30rptmb093u170em1ln5a0oqa@4ax.com...


> The suet had gone rancid.

Rancid suet is very unusual. Was it "brand name" suet like "Atora", or maybe 
local butcher prepped, or even home prepped suet you had used?

I have "Atora" suet, both "original" and "vegi" type in my store cupboard. 
The original is "best before March 2008" and I just used some of it last 
week to make a couple of doughballs to go in some minced beef. I always 
"sniff" such stuff before using and I think I can recognise a rancid smell 
if it was there. It smelled OK and I seem OK some seven days after use. It 
is not even stored in a particularly "cool" place, just being in the same 
store cupboard I keep my flour etc. I have not used the "vegi" type in a 
long, long time and note it is best before Oct 2007. I think I will ditch 
that.

> Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are wrapped 
> in it
> when delivered.

Crikey! That will definitely need some boiling and sterilising before *ever* 
being considered suitable for home use. I'd never use such stuff myself.

-- 
Pete

"Adrian Tupper"  wrote in 
message news:Xns9CAE9FED96BFDniceguyonzetnet@194.247.47.119...
> Sacha  wrote in
> news:7kgfjrF39jp1qU1@mid.individual.net:
>
>> On 2009-10-24 14:40:15 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>
>>>
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7kfto8F376k20U1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-24 00:00:48 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>>> news:7keqlbF38lgssU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped
>>>>>> originally and
>>>>>> the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the
>>>>>> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept
>>>>>> that in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in
>>>>>> making the original recipe than there is for me now.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Sacha
>>>>>>
>>>>> I soak the fruit overnight in brandy and add guinness to the mix as
>>>>> well. Graham
>>>>
>>>> She was a strict Methodist, so I'm amazed even that much brandy
>>>> crept in! --
>>>> Sacha
>>>>
>>> My ex's uncle was a fairly strict Baptist.  It took him 3 years of
>>> Bible study to conclude that it was OK to brew his own beer{:-)
>>> Graham
>>
>> The theology must have been very intricate!
>
> Yes, and it does make me wonder if a little creative interpretation can
> justify virtually anything.  Come to think of it, various religious
> cults do manage to justify paedophilia, domestic violence, multiple
> marriages, homophobia, racial hatred etc.  That said, I don't see
> anything in the Bible myself to prohibit alcohol.  Jesus created gallons
> of it once - as a kind of home brew I suppose.
>

"The devil can cite scripture for his purpose."  Wm. Shakespeare

Graham

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>
>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>
>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>
>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If 
>>>>> so
>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>
>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>>
>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>> hung on hooks
>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>
>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September 
>> forgot
>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard 
>> under the
>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite 
>> the very
>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we 
>> bought it.
>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>
> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and 
> 'stuff' running through it.  Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)  My recipe 
> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a disc 
> of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to find some 
> muslin, now....sigh....
> -- 

I had some until a few weeks ago.  After using it to strain recurrant juice, 
I thought I'd wash it in the washing machine.  As gentle as the Miele is, it 
shredded it!
Graham

In message , Adrian 
Tupper  writes
>Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>@mid.individual.net:
>
>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>  said:
>>
>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>
>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>
>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem
>to
>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>
>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas
>>>>> pudding.
>>>>
>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I
>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>check
>>>> it's cooked!
>>>
>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>
>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>
>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>
>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>fashioned
>> fairly thick white china ones.
>
>Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
>
You could always cheat, cook the pud in a pyrex bowl in the microwave 
and then swap it over.  No-one would know and it wouldn't detract from 
the taste.
-- 
June Hughes

In message <%uIEm.13442$MZ1.6958@newsfe11.iad>, graham 
 writes
>
>"Sacha"  wrote in message
>news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>
>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>>
>>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>> so
>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>
>>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>>>
>>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>>> hung on hooks
>>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>>
>>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September
>>> forgot
>>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard
>>> under the
>>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite
>>> the very
>>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>>> bought it.
>>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>>
>> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and
>> 'stuff' running through it.  Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)  My recipe
>> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a disc
>> of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to find some
>> muslin, now....sigh....
>> --
>
>I had some until a few weeks ago.  After using it to strain recurrant juice,
>I thought I'd wash it in the washing machine.  As gentle as the Miele is, it
>shredded it!
>Graham
>
>
John Lewis do packs of it.  So do Lakeland.  Would you like me to send 
you some?  Ditto Sacha.  It's light and inexpensive, so I don't mind. 
(Note to Sacha - The only thing I didn't like about Devon when we were 
there was the lack of John Lewis, although there's nothing anyone can do 
about that. The same goes for Brighton.)  I mentioned this to one of the 
two gay men who - a couple - run the wonderful B&B we stayed in whilst 
celebrating our wedding anniversary in June (in Brighton). He replied 
'Yes, and they would do well because the town is full of poofs'.  (not 
sure about the spelling). As he had impeccable taste, I think I know 
what he meant :)
-- 
June Hughes

In message , Janet Baraclough 
 writes
>The message 
>from Martin <me@address.invalid> contains these words:
>
>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one
>> September forgot
>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard
>> under the
>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite
>> the very
>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>> bought it.
>
>  You really need to store them COOL, far away from centrally heated comfort.
>  We just ate one (in September) and it was perfect. It was a spare made
>last November and stored
>in the loft , where it got forgotten.
>
>   Ours are made in a china bowl,  topped with a pleated  layer of
>greaseproof paper plus a pleated  double layer of foil, tied on
>with string.  (the two pleats are at rightangles to allow for steam
>expansion)  After the initial cooking, the pud is allowed to cool then a
>fresh GPP and foil lid applied the same way, for storage. The fresh lid
>stays on for the final cooling.
>
>    Janet

Do you steam it in the normal way or microwave, Janet?  I have only ever 
dared store mine in the freezer and then generally end up making 
Christmas pudding ice cream with them.
-- 
June Hughes
<DISCLAIMER>
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The message 
from June Hughes  contains these words:

> In message , Janet Baraclough 
>  writes
> >The message 
> >from Martin <me@address.invalid> contains these words:
> >
> >> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one
> >> September forgot
> >> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard
> >> under the
> >> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite
> >> the very
> >> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
> >> bought it.
> >
> >  You really need to store them COOL, far away from centrally heated
> >  comfort.
> >  We just ate one (in September) and it was perfect. It was a spare made
> >last November and stored
> >in the loft , where it got forgotten.
> >
> >   Ours are made in a china bowl,  topped with a pleated  layer of
> >greaseproof paper plus a pleated  double layer of foil, tied on
> >with string.  (the two pleats are at rightangles to allow for steam
> >expansion)  After the initial cooking, the pud is allowed to cool then a
> >fresh GPP and foil lid applied the same way, for storage. The fresh lid
> >stays on for the final cooling.
> >
> >    Janet

> Do you steam it in the normal way or microwave, Janet? 

   Steam them the normal way

   Janet

Sacha  wrote:
>> What would you suggest as a suet substitute? The recipe sounds
>> incredible, but suet is out for us.
> I believe there's now a vegetarian substitute but can't help with 
> names, I'm afraid.

Atora (who do normal suet) do a veggie version, in a green box that
is very similar to the normal (blue?) box.  I can personally vouch
for it, I've been using it for years, for mince meat, christmas
pudding and vegetarian 'suet' puddings (with baked beans or veggie
mince + onion) - although I got banned from the puddings a few years
ago when I boiled a pan dry with 3 plastic pots steaming in it when
visiting my mum.  :-(

On 2009-10-24 18:16:47 +0100, Kev Crocombe  said:

> In article , Adrian
> Tupper  writes
>> Sacha  wrote in
>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>  said:
>>> 
>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>> 
>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?
>>>>> If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size
>>>>> etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry
>>>>> is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>> 
>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>>> 
>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to
>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>> 
>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess,
>>> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20
>>> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm
>>> very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm
>>> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is
>>> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which
>>> is one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes
>>> boiling it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the
>>> first place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!
>> 
>> I am reasonably sure it will work just as well as a 21st century
>> microwave Christmas pud recipe.  Certainly the re-heating won't be an
>> issue even if you're worried about the initial cook.
>> 
> 
> I steam ours a day or two before and then just microwave it to heat it
> up on the day - you get a decent cook and its not cluttering up the hob
> during Xmas dinner preparations.

Good, common sense approach - sounds right to me.  Thank you!
-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 18:17:10 +0100, "Pete"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7kgpv1F3ab0geU1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-24 17:27:39 +0100, "Pete"  said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7kgjpjF38p3r5U1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> 
>>>> A few years ago we were invited to the Commodore's cocktail party at HMS
>>>> Britannia, Dartmouth.  As guests arrive, a cadet is detailed off to
>>>> escort
>>>> them into the Quarterdeck and up to the Commodore and his wife, getting
>>>> them a drink en route.  Our escort at the first party we went to was a
>>>> very strict Muslim.  Not only would he not bring us a drink, he wouldn't
>>>> carry a tray with drinks on it!   He was perfectly polite about it,
>>>> explaining it to us carefully and I was quite interested that he
>>>> couldn't
>>>> even touch the tray when actually doing his job.  I mentioned this to
>>>> our
>>>> friend, who was then the Commander and he was astonished this chap had
>>>> been detailed off for that job.  He said he'd make sure that cadet
>>>> wasn't
>>>> asked to do that again because it was potentially embarrasing for guests
>>>> and for him.  It didn't worry us but I suppose others might have been a
>>>> bit put out.
>>>> --
>>>> Sacha
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> Maybe said "escort cadet" should have considered another career if there
>>> were so many pitfalls ready to present themselves to him in his chosen
>>> one.
>>> 
>>> I mean to say, having the personal deciding/religious factors of "I am
>>> not
>>> allowed to drink, nor to be anywhere near drink, nor even to touch
>>> anything
>>> which may have a drink placed upon it" sounds to me like a good reason
>>> for
>>> crossing the RN off any list of employers which that young chap felt like
>>> applying to.
>> 
>> But Dartmouth brings huge amounts of foreign dosh into this country by
>> training the future naval officers of other countries.  Just like
>> Sandhurst trained the late King of Jordan.  'Our' cadet wasn't going to
>> join our Royal Navy but his country was paying for him to be trained here.
>> 
>> -- 
>> Sacha
> 
> Thank you for explaining the situation, and now I understand and I'm sorry 
> for my misunderstanding of what was going on. The Commander was indeed 
> correct in his comments.

I think this source of income is one of those things that don't get 
much publicity but should.  We British are sometimes rather bad at 
believing that it is not wrong to strive for excellence and achieve it 
and in that area we do excellence rather well.

 -- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 22:42:21 +0100, June Hughes 
 said:

> In message , Adrian 
> Tupper  writes
>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>> @mid.individual.net:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>  said:
>>> 
>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>> and
>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem
>> to
>>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat
>>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket Christmas
>>>>>> pudding.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  I
>>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>> check
>>>>> it's cooked!
>>>> 
>>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>> 
>>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>> 
>>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>> 
>>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>> fashioned
>>> fairly thick white china ones.
>> 
>> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
>> 
> You could always cheat, cook the pud in a pyrex bowl in the microwave 
> and then swap it over.  No-one would know and it wouldn't detract from 
> the taste.

By the time it's on 'public' view, it's been turned out anyway so I'll 
have to hold my breath, cross my eyes and hope for the best!
-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 22:54:22 +0100, June Hughes 
 said:

> In message <%uIEm.13442$MZ1.6958@newsfe11.iad>, graham 
>  writes
>> 
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>> 
>>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>>>> hung on hooks
>>>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>>> 
>>>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September
>>>> forgot
>>>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard
>>>> under the
>>>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite
>>>> the very
>>>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>>>> bought it.
>>>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>>> 
>>> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and
>>> 'stuff' running through it.  Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)  My recipe
>>> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a disc
>>> of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to find some
>>> muslin, now....sigh....
>>> --
>> 
>> I had some until a few weeks ago.  After using it to strain recurrant juice,
>> I thought I'd wash it in the washing machine.  As gentle as the Miele is, it
>> shredded it!
>> Graham
>> 
>> 
> John Lewis do packs of it.  So do Lakeland.  Would you like me to send 
> you some?  Ditto Sacha.  It's light and inexpensive, so I don't mind. 
> (Note to Sacha - The only thing I didn't like about Devon when we were 
> there was the lack of John Lewis, although there's nothing anyone can 
> do about that. The same goes for Brighton.)  I mentioned this to one of 
> the two gay men who - a couple - run the wonderful B&B we stayed in 
> whilst celebrating our wedding anniversary in June (in Brighton). He 
> replied 'Yes, and they would do well because the town is full of 
> poofs'.  (not sure about the spelling). As he had impeccable taste, I 
> think I know what he meant :)

I am amazed we don't have a JL in Exeter or Plymouth  The nearest is 
Cribbs Causeway just outside Bristol and for us that's not far off a 2 
hour drive. We very rarely bother with that but OTOH can buy online.   
Your landlord was right but OTOH, there's a huge blue rinse brigade, 
not quite blue rinse but going greyish etc. gang, that would LOVE a JL 
in such places.  Thank you for the offer of the muslin - in the past 
our local ironmonger has had it and I'd forgotten that.  I'll try there 
tomorrow and see if I can find it.  It came in sheets about a yard 
square, I think, neatly folded into a pack.

-- 
Sacha

"June Hughes"  wrote in message 
news:TDWKlHIOe34KFwgP@theacct.demon.co.uk...
> In message <%uIEm.13442$MZ1.6958@newsfe11.iad>, graham  
> writes
>>
>>"Sacha"  wrote in message
>>news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>
>>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas 
>>>>>>> Day,
>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the 
>>>>>> kitchen)
>>>>>
>>>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves 
>>>>> or
>>>>> hung on hooks
>>>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>>>
>>>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September
>>>> forgot
>>>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard
>>>> under the
>>>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite
>>>> the very
>>>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>>>> bought it.
>>>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>>>
>>> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and
>>> 'stuff' running through it.  Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)  My recipe
>>> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a disc
>>> of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to find 
>>> some
>>> muslin, now....sigh....
>>> --
>>
>>I had some until a few weeks ago.  After using it to strain recurrant 
>>juice,
>>I thought I'd wash it in the washing machine.  As gentle as the Miele is, 
>>it
>>shredded it!
>>Graham
>>
>>
> John Lewis do packs of it.  So do Lakeland.  Would you like me to send you 
> some?

Thanks for the thought, June, but I have a spare and won't need that until 
next fruit season.
Exhausted!!!!!!  Just taken the grandkids home after baking cookies and a 
couple of spongecakes with their help and participation.  One wanted a plain 
sponge, the other chocolate.
Graham

On Fri 23 Oct 2009 02:37:45p, Sacha told us...

> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>  said:
> 
>> Sacha  wrote in
>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net: 
>> 
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>> so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas! 
>> 
>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>> 
>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud
>> in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess. 
> 
> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, 
> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 
> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm 
> very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm 
> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is 
> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is 
> one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling 
> it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the first 
> place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!

The first cooking should take care of any issues with the suet.  

As to the microwave, you can actually steam it, and for a much shorter 
time.  I would put the pudding in a bowl that can fit inside a larger more 
shallow bowl.  Add water to the shallow bowl and adjust the speed of the 
microwave to just maintain a simmer, producing steam.  The microwave will 
warm the pudding at the same time that it produces the steam, which makes 
for a nicer texture in the pudding.

BTW, I would love to have such an heirloom recipe for the pudding. (hint 
hint)

-- 

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~ 

        ~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~ 

**********************************************************

                     Wayne Boatwright

"Pete"  wrote:
> "Martin" <me@address.invalid> wrote in message 
> news:l5i6e5deq30rptmb093u170em1ln5a0oqa@4ax.com...
>> Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are
>> wrapped in it
>> when delivered.
> 
> Crikey! That will definitely need some boiling and sterilising before
> *ever* being considered suitable for home use. I'd never use such
> stuff myself. 
> 
I don't think Martin was suggesting the butchers were selling it after 
they'd used it. If they have a stock for their own use then why shouldn't 
they also sell it for home use?

However, a quick Google seems to suggest that the muslin used by butchers 
is coarser than ordinary muslin, so it may only be suitable for wrapping 
meat not for straining.

-- 
Duncan Booth
Recently blogged about: Lanson Champagne Tasting
http://tribbletasting.blogspot.com

On 2009-10-24 19:39:23 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:

> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:08:53 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
> 
>> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>> 
>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>> 
>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>> 
>>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>>> 
>>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>>> hung on hooks
>>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>> 
>>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
>>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
>>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
>>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>>> bought it.
>>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>> 
>> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and
>> 'stuff' running through it.
> 
> None of that. It is both the driest and the coolest place in the house. That's
> why we put the pudding there.
> It wasn't the mold that made it inedible. The suet had gone rancid.

Then surely it wasn't cooked long enough to begin with?  ISTR my 
brother (who worked in the Forte hotel organisation for some years) 
telling me that the chefs at the Savoy made Christmas puds years ahead.
> 
> 
>> Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)
> 
> I'll look for one on a bare mountain side the next time we are in Greece. :)

Complete with handy cool, dark cave.
> 
>> My recipe
>> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a
>> disc of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to
>> find some muslin, now....sigh....
> 
> Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are wrapped in it
> when delivered.

Our iroinmongers usually have it but the butcher might be an 
alternative.  I'd have to boil wash the muslin first, though.
-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-24 19:52:10 +0100, "Pete"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
>> I've got to find some muslin, now....sigh....
> 
> Seems like a better bet than the usual 12 inch square tiny bits sold by the
> likes of Lakeland:
> 
> http://www.cookability.biz/kitchen-craft-butter-muslin/b_341.htm?SRC=GB1
> 
> I ain't checked out p&p

£4.25 by second class post for 3 cloths.   It's a very handy source, thank you.
-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-25 06:30:30 +0000, Wayne Boatwright 
 said:

> On Fri 23 Oct 2009 02:37:45p, Sacha told us...
> 
>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>  said:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>> 
>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>> so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>> 
>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>> 
>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud
>>> in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>> 
>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess,
>> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20
>> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm
>> very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm
>> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is
>> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is
>> one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling
>> it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the first
>> place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!
> 
> The first cooking should take care of any issues with the suet.
> 
> As to the microwave, you can actually steam it, and for a much shorter
> time.  I would put the pudding in a bowl that can fit inside a larger more
> shallow bowl.  Add water to the shallow bowl and adjust the speed of the
> microwave to just maintain a simmer, producing steam.  The microwave will
> warm the pudding at the same time that it produces the steam, which makes
> for a nicer texture in the pudding.
> 
> BTW, I would love to have such an heirloom recipe for the pudding. (hint
> hint)

It's upthread but if you can't find it, let me know.
-- 
Sacha

On 25 Oct 2009 10:29:16 GMT, Duncan Booth <duncan.booth@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>"Pete"  wrote:
>> "Martin" <me@address.invalid> wrote in message 
>> news:l5i6e5deq30rptmb093u170em1ln5a0oqa@4ax.com...
>>> Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are
>>> wrapped in it
>>> when delivered.
>> 
>> Crikey! That will definitely need some boiling and sterilising before
>> *ever* being considered suitable for home use. I'd never use such
>> stuff myself. 
>> 
>I don't think Martin was suggesting the butchers were selling it after 
>they'd used it. If they have a stock for their own use then why shouldn't 
>they also sell it for home use?

Exactly!

-- 

Martin

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:03 +0000, Sacha  wrote:

>On 2009-10-24 19:39:23 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>
>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:08:53 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>> 
>>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>>>> hung on hooks
>>>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>>> 
>>>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
>>>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
>>>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
>>>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>>>> bought it.
>>>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>>> 
>>> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and
>>> 'stuff' running through it.
>> 
>> None of that. It is both the driest and the coolest place in the house. That's
>> why we put the pudding there.
>> It wasn't the mold that made it inedible. The suet had gone rancid.
>
>Then surely it wasn't cooked long enough to begin with?

Blame the Newbury WI :o)

When you started this thread I thought you were worrying that on Xmas day your
pudding wouldn't be cooked.


>  ISTR my 
>brother (who worked in the Forte hotel organisation for some years) 
>telling me that the chefs at the Savoy made Christmas puds years ahead.

Why? and how did they store them? :)

>> 
>> 
>>> Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)
>> 
>> I'll look for one on a bare mountain side the next time we are in Greece. :)
>
>Complete with handy cool, dark cave.

and a barrel of ouzo?

>> 
>>> My recipe
>>> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a
>>> disc of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to
>>> find some muslin, now....sigh....
>> 
>> Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are wrapped in it
>> when delivered.
>
>Our iroinmongers usually have it but the butcher might be an 
>alternative.  I'd have to boil wash the muslin first, though.

Not if it is unused.
-- 

Martin

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:01:46 +0000, Sacha  wrote:

>On 2009-10-24 19:52:10 +0100, "Pete"  said:
>
>> 
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> I've got to find some muslin, now....sigh....
>> 
>> Seems like a better bet than the usual 12 inch square tiny bits sold by the
>> likes of Lakeland:
>> 
>> http://www.cookability.biz/kitchen-craft-butter-muslin/b_341.htm?SRC=GB1
>> 
>> I ain't checked out p&p
>
>£4.25 by second class post for 3 cloths.   It's a very handy source, thank you.

Got a whole pudding for less from L**l
It's about half what we paid for the most recommended pudding from M&S(?) last
year.
-- 

Martin

On 2009-10-25 11:15:14 +0000, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:

> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:03 +0000, Sacha  wrote:
> 
>> On 2009-10-24 19:39:23 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>> 
>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:08:53 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>> 
>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>> 
>>>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>>>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>>>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>>>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>>>>> hung on hooks
>>>>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>>>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>>>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>>>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>>>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>>>> 
>>>>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
>>>>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
>>>>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
>>>>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>>>>> bought it.
>>>>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>>>> 
>>>> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and
>>>> 'stuff' running through it.
>>> 
>>> None of that. It is both the driest and the coolest place in the house. That's
>>> why we put the pudding there.
>>> It wasn't the mold that made it inedible. The suet had gone rancid.
>> 
>> Then surely it wasn't cooked long enough to begin with?
> 
> Blame the Newbury WI :o)
> 
> When you started this thread I thought you were worrying that on Xmas day your
> pudding wouldn't be cooked.

I was.  You digressed.  ;-)
> 
> 
>> ISTR my
>> brother (who worked in the Forte hotel organisation for some years)
>> telling me that the chefs at the Savoy made Christmas puds years ahead.
> 
> Why? and how did they store them? :)

The 'why' is because afficionados insist that they improve with age.  
The 'how' would be some of the enormous larders they have there.  We 
were taken on a tour of the kitchens - only part of them - and it's 
like a small village under there!
> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)
>>> 
>>> I'll look for one on a bare mountain side the next time we are in Greece. :)
>> 
>> Complete with handy cool, dark cave.
> 
> and a barrel of ouzo?

Blech - only if you've run out of paint stripper.
> 
>>> 
>>>> My recipe
>>>> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a
>>>> disc of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to
>>>> find some muslin, now....sigh....
>>> 
>>> Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are wrapped in it
>>> when delivered.
>> 
>> Our iroinmongers usually have it but the butcher might be an
>> alternative.  I'd have to boil wash the muslin first, though.
> 
> Not if it is unused.

If the ironmonger hasn't got any, I'll check with them.  But what's 
usually used is butter muslin.

-- 
Sacha

On 2009-10-25 11:16:49 +0000, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:

> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:01:46 +0000, Sacha  wrote:
> 
>> On 2009-10-24 19:52:10 +0100, "Pete"  said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7kg21lF36potdU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> I've got to find some muslin, now....sigh....
>>> 
>>> Seems like a better bet than the usual 12 inch square tiny bits sold by the
>>> likes of Lakeland:
>>> 
>>> http://www.cookability.biz/kitchen-craft-butter-muslin/b_341.htm?SRC=GB1
>>> 
>>> I ain't checked out p&p
>> 
>> £4.25 by second class post for 3 cloths.   It's a very handy source, thank you.
> 
> Got a whole pudding for less from L**l
> It's about half what we paid for the most recommended pudding from M&S(?) last
> year.

Yes, but I *like* making my own and what's more I even have some silver 
charms to put in it!
-- 
Sacha

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:19:40 +0000, Sacha  wrote:

>On 2009-10-25 11:15:14 +0000, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>
>> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:03 +0000, Sacha  wrote:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-24 19:39:23 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>> 
>>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:08:53 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:54:17 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
>>>>>>>> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
>>>>>>>> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
>>>>>>>> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
>>>>>>>> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the
>>>>>>> past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I
>>>>>>> think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated
>>>>>>> drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or
>>>>>>> hung on hooks
>>>>>>> in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this
>>>>>>> house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It
>>>>>>> faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which
>>>>>>> would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only
>>>>>>> warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
>>>>>> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
>>>>>> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
>>>>>> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>>>>>> bought it.
>>>>>> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 'under the stairs' is probably too warm, even humid, with pipes and
>>>>> 'stuff' running through it.
>>>> 
>>>> None of that. It is both the driest and the coolest place in the house. That's
>>>> why we put the pudding there.
>>>> It wasn't the mold that made it inedible. The suet had gone rancid.
>>> 
>>> Then surely it wasn't cooked long enough to begin with?
>> 
>> Blame the Newbury WI :o)
>> 
>> When you started this thread I thought you were worrying that on Xmas day your
>> pudding wouldn't be cooked.
>
>I was.  You digressed.  ;-)
>> 
>> 
>>> ISTR my
>>> brother (who worked in the Forte hotel organisation for some years)
>>> telling me that the chefs at the Savoy made Christmas puds years ahead.
>> 
>> Why? and how did they store them? :)
>
>The 'why' is because afficionados insist that they improve with age.  
>The 'how' would be some of the enormous larders they have there.  We 
>were taken on a tour of the kitchens - only part of them - and it's 
>like a small village under there!

We only have a small cupboard under the stairs. It was originally the home of
the central heating boiler, but we relocated that to the attic when we bought a
new fangled combi boiler. Hence no pipes of any sort any more. At the time of
the pudding episode, there was a vent in the cupboard that led to the empty
space under the house. The vent has since been blocked after mice started using
it.

>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> Spartan is what's needed.  ;-)
>>>> 
>>>> I'll look for one on a bare mountain side the next time we are in Greece. :)
>>> 
>>> Complete with handy cool, dark cave.
>> 
>> and a barrel of ouzo?
>
>Blech - only if you've run out of paint stripper.

Nitromoors cheap alternative?

>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> My recipe
>>>>> says that having been cooked, the puddings should be covered with a
>>>>> disc of greaseproof paper and a clean, ungreased cloth.  I've got to
>>>>> find some muslin, now....sigh....
>>>> 
>>>> Our local butchers use to have muslin. I think sides of meat are wrapped in it
>>>> when delivered.
>>> 
>>> Our iroinmongers usually have it but the butcher might be an
>>> alternative.  I'd have to boil wash the muslin first, though.
>> 
>> Not if it is unused.
>
>If the ironmonger hasn't got any, I'll check with them.  But what's 
>usually used is butter muslin.

I used  butcher's muslin for straining home made beer. 
-- 

Martin

In message , Janet Baraclough 
 writes
>The message 
>from June Hughes  contains these words:
>
>> In message , Janet Baraclough
>>  writes
>> >The message 
>> >from Martin <me@address.invalid> contains these words:
>> >
>> >> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one
>> >> September forgot
>> >> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard
>> >> under the
>> >> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite
>> >> the very
>> >> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we
>> >> bought it.
>> >
>> >  You really need to store them COOL, far away from centrally heated
>> >  comfort.
>> >  We just ate one (in September) and it was perfect. It was a spare made
>> >last November and stored
>> >in the loft , where it got forgotten.
>> >
>> >   Ours are made in a china bowl,  topped with a pleated  layer of
>> >greaseproof paper plus a pleated  double layer of foil, tied on
>> >with string.  (the two pleats are at rightangles to allow for steam
>> >expansion)  After the initial cooking, the pud is allowed to cool then a
>> >fresh GPP and foil lid applied the same way, for storage. The fresh lid
>> >stays on for the final cooling.
>> >
>> >    Janet
>
>> Do you steam it in the normal way or microwave, Janet?
>
>   Steam them the normal way
>
>   Janet
Oh right.  Thanks.  I have just bought Delia's new Christmas book in 
Asda (12 GBP).  No that I need it, as I have her others but it was such 
a good price and I shall enjoy reading it.  I haven't read what she has 
to say on the subject yet.
-- 
June Hughes

The message 
from Wayne Boatwright  contains these words:

> BTW, I would love to have such an heirloom recipe for the pudding. (hint 
> hint)

  It's up-thread, Wayne. 

   Janet

The message 
from Martin <me@address.invalid> contains these words:

> >£4.25 by second class post for 3 cloths.   It's a very handy source,
> >thank you.

> Got a whole pudding for less from L**l
> It's about half what we paid for the most recommended pudding from
> M&S(?) last
> year.

 Yebbut,  shop made is never as good as a proper home made one. 

  Janet

"Janet Baraclough"  wrote in message 
news:31303030393032394AE24FEB14@zetnet.co.uk...
> The message 
> from Adrian Tupper 
> contains these words:
>
>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>
>    Just as a matter of interest, can you tell any difference between
> baked potatoes  done in the oven and in a microwave?

If you do them too long in the microwave, all you are left with is the skin!

Alan

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7keqrmF38lgssU2@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>
>> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>
>> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>>
>>
>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>
>> Pressure cooker job, innit?
>
> Ain't got one, don't want one!

Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one 
somewhere, carefully filed away!

Alan

On 2009-10-25 16:28:28 +0000, "alan.holmes"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7keqrmF38lgssU2@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>> 
>>> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>> 
>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>> 
>>> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>> 
>>> Pressure cooker job, innit?
>> 
>> Ain't got one, don't want one!
> 
> Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one
> somewhere, carefully filed away!
> 
> Alan

Despite all that's been said here, I still can't get over an irrational 
fear of them.
-- 
Sacha

In article ,
   Martin <me@address.invalid> wrote:
> On Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:05:17 +0100, Sacha  wrote:

> >On 2009-10-23 23:55:19 +0100,  said:
> >
> >> Sacha  wrote:
> >>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
> >>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
> >>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
> >>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
> >>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
> >>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
> >> 
> >> I've always microwaved my home made puddings.
> >> Although I may not bother making one this year.  I made 8 little mini
> >> ones last year, and only got 1 before they went mouldy.  :-(
> >> No idea what caused it, afaik they were stored 'correctly'.  (wrapped
> >> in grease proof paper and stored in a dark airy drawer in the kitchen)
> >
> >Not cooked long enough originally or not enough brandy?  ;-))  In the 
> >past I've kept them from year to year but very cool is important, I 
> >think.  Many modern houses just don't have that. and even a ventilated 
> >drawer might be too warm.  In old houses they were stored in shelves or 
> >hung on hooks
> >in a cold larder - and I do mean *very cold*.  The old larder of this 
> >house is now our tea room's kitchen but in winter it is arctic.  It 
> >faces north-east and has thick stone walls and the old windows which 
> >would have had fly screens are still there and are tiny.  It's only 
> >warm in summer if someone's cooking in it!

> We bought a WI made Christmas pudding at the Newbury Show one September forgot
> all about it at Xmas, remembered it when we found it in the cupboard under the
> stairs the following June. It was covered in mold and inedible despite the very
> strong smell of alcohol which was one of the original reasons that we bought it.
> The other reason was the sample we tried was delicious.

Keeping is a problem. Years ago we had an old wooden leanto porch over the
back door and xmas puds kept perfectly from year to year on a shelf in
that. In the next house they either dried or went mouldy - couldn't find a
solution so stopped keeping them. OTOH, several houses later now, I happen
to have some in my fridge since last xmas and it looks fine. Must try it
some time.

Cheers
Jane

-- 

Jane Gillett   :   j.gillett@higherstert.co.uk   :   Totnes, Devon.

In article ,
   Sacha  wrote:
<snip>
> >> 

Re muslin?

> >> 
> > John Lewis do packs of it.  So do Lakeland.  Would you like me to send 
> > you some?  Ditto Sacha.  It's light and inexpensive, so I don't mind. 
> > (Note to Sacha - The only thing I didn't like about Devon when we were 
> > there was the lack of John Lewis, although there's nothing anyone can 
> > do about that. The same goes for Brighton.)  I mentioned this to one of 
> > the two gay men who - a couple - run the wonderful B&B we stayed in 
> > whilst celebrating our wedding anniversary in June (in Brighton). He 
> > replied 'Yes, and they would do well because the town is full of 
> > poofs'.  (not sure about the spelling). As he had impeccable taste, I 
> > think I know what he meant :)

> I am amazed we don't have a JL in Exeter or Plymouth  The nearest is 
> Cribbs Causeway just outside Bristol and for us that's not far off a 2 
> hour drive. We very rarely bother with that but OTOH can buy online.   
> Your landlord was right but OTOH, there's a huge blue rinse brigade, 
> not quite blue rinse but going greyish etc. gang, that would LOVE a JL 
> in such places.  Thank you for the offer of the muslin - in the past 
> our local ironmonger has had it and I'd forgotten that.  I'll try there 
> tomorrow and see if I can find it.  It came in sheets about a yard 
> square, I think, neatly folded into a pack.

Do you ever get to Chagford? The hardware store in the main street there
has most things. And I mean most things. Must go back - it's worth a visit
in its own right.

Cheers
Jane

-- 

Jane Gillett   :   j.gillett@higherstert.co.uk   :   Totnes, Devon.

On 2009-10-25 13:33:34 +0000, Jane Gillett  said:

> In article ,
>    Sacha  wrote:
> <snip>
>>>> 
> 
> Re muslin?
> 
>>>> 
>>> John Lewis do packs of it.  So do Lakeland.  Would you like me to send
>>> you some?  Ditto Sacha.  It's light and inexpensive, so I don't mind.
>>> (Note to Sacha - The only thing I didn't like about Devon when we were
>>> there was the lack of John Lewis, although there's nothing anyone can
>>> do about that. The same goes for Brighton.)  I mentioned this to one of
>>> the two gay men who - a couple - run the wonderful B&B we stayed in
>>> whilst celebrating our wedding anniversary in June (in Brighton). He
>>> replied 'Yes, and they would do well because the town is full of
>>> poofs'.  (not sure about the spelling). As he had impeccable taste, I
>>> think I know what he meant :)
> 
>> I am amazed we don't have a JL in Exeter or Plymouth  The nearest is
>> Cribbs Causeway just outside Bristol and for us that's not far off a 2
>> hour drive. We very rarely bother with that but OTOH can buy online.
>> Your landlord was right but OTOH, there's a huge blue rinse brigade,
>> not quite blue rinse but going greyish etc. gang, that would LOVE a JL
>> in such places.  Thank you for the offer of the muslin - in the past
>> our local ironmonger has had it and I'd forgotten that.  I'll try there
>> tomorrow and see if I can find it.  It came in sheets about a yard
>> square, I think, neatly folded into a pack.
> 
> Do you ever get to Chagford? The hardware store in the main street there
> has most things. And I mean most things. Must go back - it's worth a visit
> in its own right.
> 
> Cheers
> Jane

Yes, we've been to Chagford several times - used to really like that 
restaurant in Mill Street!  And Ray took me into that fabulous 
ironmongers.  It goes back and back like some Minotaur's labyrinth.  I 
remember hoping it didn't catch fire while I was in there!  That 
business guru Harvey Jones wrote about that shop - can't remember its 
name! - and said that it was supposedly doing everything wrong in 
marketing terms but was always packed with customers.  He said that 
he'd make a detour of several miles just to visit it and always came 
out with some gadget or other that he'd never before realised he 
needed,  ;-)  However, there are two, slap next door to each other and 
I don't know which he meant.
-- 
Sacha

Sacha  wrote in news:7kgjqrF38p3r5U2
@mid.individual.net:

> On 2009-10-24 15:38:54 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>  said:
> 
>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>> @mid.individual.net:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>  said:
>>> 
>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>> and
>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on 
Christmas
>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what 
setting
>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - 
these
>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I 
seem
>> to
>>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-
heat
>>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket 
Christmas
>>>>>> pudding.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  
I
>>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>> check
>>>>> it's cooked!
>>>> 
>>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>> 
>>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>> 
>>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>> 
>>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>> fashioned
>>> fairly thick white china ones.
>> 
>> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
> 
> Groan.  Off to the Lakeland site.........!   ;-)

IKEA used to and possibly still do a nice set of 5 nested plastic bowls 
for a ridiculously small amount of money.  Ideal for puds of different 
sizes.

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

Sacha  wrote in news:7khj8cF398bv9U2
@mid.individual.net:

> On 2009-10-24 22:42:21 +0100, June Hughes 
>  said:
> 
>> In message , Adrian 
>> Tupper  writes
>>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>>> @mid.individual.net:
>>> 
>>>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>>> and
>>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on 
Christmas
>>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what 
setting
>>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - 
these
>>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I 
seem
>>> to
>>>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-
heat
>>>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket 
Christmas
>>>>>>> pudding.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  
I
>>>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>>> check
>>>>>> it's cooked!
>>>>> 
>>>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>>> 
>>>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>>>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>>> 
>>>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>>> fashioned
>>>> fairly thick white china ones.
>>> 
>>> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>>> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>>> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
>>> 
>> You could always cheat, cook the pud in a pyrex bowl in the microwave 
>> and then swap it over.  No-one would know and it wouldn't detract 
from 
>> the taste.
> 
> By the time it's on 'public' view, it's been turned out anyway so I'll 
> have to hold my breath, cross my eyes and hope for the best!

My mother once served a pud that didn't work.  Just slushed out.  I made 
some comment about giving us all straws which wasn't appreciated at the 
time!

IIRC she steamed it.  Moral is - use the microwave!

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

On 26 Oct 2009 22:12:32 GMT, Adrian Tupper
 wrote:

>Sacha  wrote in news:7kgjqrF38p3r5U2
>@mid.individual.net:
>
>> On 2009-10-24 15:38:54 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>>  said:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>>> @mid.individual.net:
>>> 
>>>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>>> and
>>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on 
>Christmas
>>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what 
>setting
>>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - 
>these
>>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I 
>seem
>>> to
>>>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-
>heat
>>>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket 
>Christmas
>>>>>>> pudding.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.  
>I
>>>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>>> check
>>>>>> it's cooked!
>>>>> 
>>>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>>> 
>>>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>>>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>>> 
>>>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>>> fashioned
>>>> fairly thick white china ones.
>>> 
>>> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>>> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>>> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
>> 
>> Groan.  Off to the Lakeland site.........!   ;-)
>
>IKEA used to and possibly still do a nice set of 5 nested plastic bowls 
>for a ridiculously small amount of money.  Ideal for puds of different 
>sizes.

As used by EIIR for her breakfast in bed cornflakes according to the Daily Mail?
-- 

Martin

On 2009-10-26 22:12:32 +0000, Adrian Tupper 
 said:

> Sacha  wrote in news:7kgjqrF38p3r5U2
> @mid.individual.net:
> 
>> On 2009-10-24 15:38:54 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>  said:
>> 
>>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>>> @mid.individual.net:
>>> 
>>>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>>> and
>>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on
> Christmas
>>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what
> setting
>>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times -
> these
>>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I
> seem
>>> to
>>>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-
> heat
>>>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket
> Christmas
>>>>>>> pudding.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.
> I
>>>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>>> check
>>>>>> it's cooked!
>>>>> 
>>>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>>> 
>>>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But I
>>>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>>> 
>>>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>>> fashioned
>>>> fairly thick white china ones.
>>> 
>>> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>>> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>>> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
>> 
>> Groan.  Off to the Lakeland site.........!   ;-)
> 
> IKEA used to and possibly still do a nice set of 5 nested plastic bowls
> for a ridiculously small amount of money.  Ideal for puds of different
> sizes.

Thanks, Adrian, I found  a plastic Kitchenware 2 pint bowl in our 
ironmongers today and two packs of 90cm square butter muslin, so I'm 
set for this Christmas!
-- 
Sacha

On Sun 25 Oct 2009 05:22:30a, Janet Baraclough told us...

> The message 
> from Wayne Boatwright  contains these
> words: 
> 
>> BTW, I would love to have such an heirloom recipe for the pudding.
>> (hint hint) 
> 
>   It's up-thread, Wayne. 
> 
>    Janet
> 

Thanks, Janet.

-- 

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~ 

        ~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~ 

**********************************************************

                     Wayne Boatwright

On Sun 25 Oct 2009 04:03:10a, Sacha told us...
 
> It's upthread but if you can't find it, let me know.

Thanks, Sacha.  I'm sure I'll find it.

-- 

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~ 

        ~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~ 

**********************************************************

                     Wayne Boatwright

On Fri 23 Oct 2009 03:56:44p, Sacha told us...

> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
> 
>> 
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net... 
>>> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net... 
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net: 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas! 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>> difference. 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem
>>>>>> to recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to
>>>>>> re-heat for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess. 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess,
>>>>> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20
>>>>> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But
>>>>> I'm very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm
>>>>> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is
>>>>> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which
>>>>> is one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes
>>>>> boiling it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the
>>>>> first place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!
>>>>> --
>>>>> Sacha
>>>>> 
>>>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the
>>>> pudding basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you
>>>> arise on xmas morning, and forget about it.
>>>> Graham
>>> 
>>> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your
>>> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my
>>> Christmas treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My
>>> daughter and step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the
>>> kitchen - they're taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but
>>> neither has made a Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas
>>> Day, so I'd like to try to make it easier for them.
>>> --
>>> Sacha
>>> 
>> There's always this:
>> http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-christmas-pu
>> dding.html My 
>> 
>> late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
>> Graham
> 
> Tsk!  Far too easy.  ;-))  This is the one Eunice bequeathed to us:
> 
> CHRISTMAS PUDDING
> 
> 1 large carrot
> 1/2 lb Self Raising Flour
> 1/2 lb Breadcrumbs
> 1/2lb Shredded suet
> 1/2 lb currants
> 1/2lb stoned raisins
> 1/2lb sultanas
> 1/4lb prunes
> 2 oz blanched flaked almonds
> 1 cooking apple
> 1 lemon, rind and juice
> 1/4lb mixed peel
> 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
> 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
> 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 6oz Demerara sugar
> 4 beaten eggs
> 1/2 gill Brandy (optional)
> 1 1/2 gills milk (more if required)
> 
> (1 gill =1/4 Imperial pint)
> 
> Mix the flour, bread crumbs and suet.  Chop the peel if necesary, the 
> raisins, almonds, carrot and apple.  Mix all the ingredients and 
> flavouring.  Add the beaten eggs together with the brandy, lemon juice 
> and milk to the other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly and put the mixture 
> into greased basins.  Cover with greaseproof paper and a pudding cloth. 
>  Boil for 8 hours or steam for 10 hours.  When the puddings are cold, 
> remove the cloth and paper.  Cover with greaseproof paper and clean, 
> ungreased cloth.  Hang in an airy larder or store in a cool, ventilated 
> place.  When required, steam for 3 hours.
> 
> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally 
> and the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the 
> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that 
> in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the 
> original recipe than there is for me now.
> 

Okay, I found the recipe and it looks wonderful.  Is it too late for me to 
make it for this Christmas?  When I make Christmas Cake, I make it the year 
before.

TIA

-- 

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~ 

        ~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~ 

**********************************************************

                     Wayne Boatwright

On 2009-10-27 05:23:29 +0000, Wayne Boatwright 
 said:

> On Fri 23 Oct 2009 03:56:44p, Sacha told us...
> 
>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net...
>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>  said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what setting
>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these
>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem
>>>>>>> to recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to
>>>>>>> re-heat for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess,
>>>>>> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20
>>>>>> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But
>>>>>> I'm very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm
>>>>>> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is
>>>>>> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which
>>>>>> is one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes
>>>>>> boiling it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the
>>>>>> first place and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Sacha
>>>>>> 
>>>>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the
>>>>> pudding basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you
>>>>> arise on xmas morning, and forget about it.
>>>>> Graham
>>>> 
>>>> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your
>>>> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my
>>>> Christmas treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My
>>>> daughter and step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the
>>>> kitchen - they're taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but
>>>> neither has made a Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas
>>>> Day, so I'd like to try to make it easier for them.
>>>> --
>>>> Sacha
>>>> 
>>> There's always this:
>>> http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-christmas-pu
>>> dding.html My
>>> 
>>> late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
>>> Graham
>> 
>> Tsk!  Far too easy.  ;-))  This is the one Eunice bequeathed to us:
>> 
>> CHRISTMAS PUDDING
>> 
>> 1 large carrot
>> 1/2 lb Self Raising Flour
>> 1/2 lb Breadcrumbs
>> 1/2lb Shredded suet
>> 1/2 lb currants
>> 1/2lb stoned raisins
>> 1/2lb sultanas
>> 1/4lb prunes
>> 2 oz blanched flaked almonds
>> 1 cooking apple
>> 1 lemon, rind and juice
>> 1/4lb mixed peel
>> 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
>> 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
>> 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
>> 1/2 teaspoon salt
>> 6oz Demerara sugar
>> 4 beaten eggs
>> 1/2 gill Brandy (optional)
>> 1 1/2 gills milk (more if required)
>> 
>> (1 gill =1/4 Imperial pint)
>> 
>> Mix the flour, bread crumbs and suet.  Chop the peel if necesary, the
>> raisins, almonds, carrot and apple.  Mix all the ingredients and
>> flavouring.  Add the beaten eggs together with the brandy, lemon juice
>> and milk to the other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly and put the mixture
>> into greased basins.  Cover with greaseproof paper and a pudding cloth.
>> Boil for 8 hours or steam for 10 hours.  When the puddings are cold,
>> remove the cloth and paper.  Cover with greaseproof paper and clean,
>> ungreased cloth.  Hang in an airy larder or store in a cool, ventilated
>> place.  When required, steam for 3 hours.
>> 
>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally
>> and the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the
>> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that
>> in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the
>> original recipe than there is for me now.
>> 
> 
> Okay, I found the recipe and it looks wonderful.  Is it too late for me to
> make it for this Christmas?  When I make Christmas Cake, I make it the year
> before.
> 
> TIA

I'm always late making mine and have to make it this week!  I'd give it a try.
-- 
Sacha

Sacha wrote:
> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>  said:
> 
>> Sacha  wrote in 
>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>
>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If so
>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>
>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming tastes
>> better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the difference.
>>
>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - these will
>> hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I seem to recall
>> about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-heat for a pud 
>> in a
>> small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
> 
> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough guess, 
> maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died about 20 
> years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or aunt!  But I'm 
> very glad to see that microwaving is an option.   Obviously, I'm 
> concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of suet in it is 
> properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy microwave user which is 
> one of the reasons I'm anxious about it.  My recipe prescribes boiling 
> it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10 hours to cook it in the first place 
> and then the 3 hour thing on Christmas Day.  Phew!

What I did was to buy some supermarket version and experiment on the 
re-heat time. It makes no sense to experiment on a home made one.

It is the sugar content that defines the re-heat time.

Dave

On Tue 27 Oct 2009 04:41:04a, Sacha told us...

> On 2009-10-27 05:23:29 +0000, Wayne Boatwright 
>  said:
> 
>> On Fri 23 Oct 2009 03:56:44p, Sacha told us...
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-23 23:48:24 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>> news:7keornF39dopqU1@mid.individual.net... 
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 22:51:23 +0100, "graham"  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>>>> news:7kem19F38apcrU1@mid.individual.net... 
>>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 19:08:52 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>>  said:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net: 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked
>>>>>>>>> and stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on
>>>>>>>>> Christmas Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently)
>>>>>>>>> mandatory 3 hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at
>>>>>>>>> what setting for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and
>>>>>>>>> making sure it doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every
>>>>>>>>> Christmas! 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>>> difference. 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times -
>>>>>>>> these will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight. 
>>>>>>>> I seem to recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day
>>>>>>>> to re-heat for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I
>>>>>>>> guess. 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Hmmmmm, my recipe is probably about 120 years old at a rough
>>>>>>> guess, maybe more.  It came from my mother's housekeeper, who died
>>>>>>> about 20 years ago and she got it from either her grandmother or
>>>>>>> aunt!  But I'm very glad to see that microwaving is an option.  
>>>>>>> Obviously, I'm concerned about flavour but also that the 1/2lb of
>>>>>>> suet in it is properly cooked right through.  I'm not a happy
>>>>>>> microwave user which is one of the reasons I'm anxious about it. 
>>>>>>> My recipe prescribes boiling it for 8 hours or steaming it for 10
>>>>>>> hours to cook it in the first place and then the 3 hour thing on
>>>>>>> Christmas Day.  Phew! --
>>>>>>> Sacha
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I cook mine in a slow cooker/crockpot.  No stress - you can put the
>>>>>> pudding basin in the pot with a couple of inches of water when you
>>>>>> arise on xmas morning, and forget about it.
>>>>>> Graham
>>>>> 
>>>>> I don't possess such a beast but am grateful to you all for your
>>>>> suggestions.  The reason I'm asking this is because one of my
>>>>> Christmas treats this year is NOT cooking Christmas lunch!  My
>>>>> daughter and step-daughter have made me promise not to enter the
>>>>> kitchen - they're taking it over.  Both are really good cooks but
>>>>> neither has made a Christmas pudding and re-boiled it on Christmas
>>>>> Day, so I'd like to try to make it easier for them.
>>>>> --
>>>>> Sacha
>>>>> 
>>>> There's always this:
>>>> http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/quick-microwave-christmas-
>>>> pu dding.html My
>>>> 
>>>> late ex-f-i-l used to make something similar.
>>>> Graham
>>> 
>>> Tsk!  Far too easy.  ;-))  This is the one Eunice bequeathed to us:
>>> 
>>> CHRISTMAS PUDDING
>>> 
>>> 1 large carrot
>>> 1/2 lb Self Raising Flour
>>> 1/2 lb Breadcrumbs
>>> 1/2lb Shredded suet
>>> 1/2 lb currants
>>> 1/2lb stoned raisins
>>> 1/2lb sultanas
>>> 1/4lb prunes
>>> 2 oz blanched flaked almonds
>>> 1 cooking apple
>>> 1 lemon, rind and juice
>>> 1/4lb mixed peel
>>> 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
>>> 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
>>> 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
>>> 1/2 teaspoon salt
>>> 6oz Demerara sugar
>>> 4 beaten eggs
>>> 1/2 gill Brandy (optional)
>>> 1 1/2 gills milk (more if required)
>>> 
>>> (1 gill =1/4 Imperial pint)
>>> 
>>> Mix the flour, bread crumbs and suet.  Chop the peel if necesary, the
>>> raisins, almonds, carrot and apple.  Mix all the ingredients and
>>> flavouring.  Add the beaten eggs together with the brandy, lemon juice
>>> and milk to the other ingredients.  Mix thoroughly and put the mixture
>>> into greased basins.  Cover with greaseproof paper and a pudding
>>> cloth. Boil for 8 hours or steam for 10 hours.  When the puddings are
>>> cold, remove the cloth and paper.  Cover with greaseproof paper and
>>> clean, ungreased cloth.  Hang in an airy larder or store in a cool,
>>> ventilated place.  When required, steam for 3 hours.
>>> 
>>> I've 'modernised' this, in that the peel had to be chopped originally
>>> and the currants, raisins and sultanas de-stalked and 'cleaned', the
>>> prunes stoned and the almonds flaked. I like the gills so I kept that
>>> in but translated it.  ;-)  There was a lot more work in making the
>>> original recipe than there is for me now.
>>> 
>> 
>> Okay, I found the recipe and it looks wonderful.  Is it too late for me
>> to make it for this Christmas?  When I make Christmas Cake, I make it
>> the year before. 
>> 
>> TIA
> 
> I'm always late making mine and have to make it this week!  I'd give it
> a try. 

Thanks, sounds like a good project for Saturday.

-- 

~~ If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it. ~~ 

        ~~ A mind is a terrible thing to lose. ~~ 

**********************************************************

                     Wayne Boatwright

Martin <me@address.invalid> wrote in
news:i38ce5lkho3thgaidvt9ka9kokv2su77gl@4ax.com: 

> On 26 Oct 2009 22:12:32 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>  wrote:
> 
>>Sacha  wrote in news:7kgjqrF38p3r5U2
>>@mid.individual.net:
>>
>>> On 2009-10-24 15:38:54 +0100, Adrian Tupper 
>>>  said:
>>> 
>>>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>>>> @mid.individual.net:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made,
>>>>>>>>>> cooked 
>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on 
>>Christmas
>>>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what 
>>setting
>>>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times - 
>>these
>>>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I 
>>seem
>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-
>>heat
>>>>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket 
>>Christmas
>>>>>>>> pudding.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.
>>>>>>>  
>>I
>>>>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>>>> check
>>>>>>> it's cooked!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>>>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But
>>>>>> I wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>>>> fashioned
>>>>> fairly thick white china ones.
>>>> 
>>>> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>>>> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>>>> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
>>> 
>>> Groan.  Off to the Lakeland site.........!   ;-)
>>
>>IKEA used to and possibly still do a nice set of 5 nested plastic
>>bowls for a ridiculously small amount of money.  Ideal for puds of
>>different sizes.
> 
> As used by EIIR for her breakfast in bed cornflakes according to the
> Daily Mail? 

The royal seal of approval!  Well if it's good enough for ma'am and good 
enough for me then it must be a quality product.

Nice to see the credit crunch hitting Buckingham Palace too ;-)

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

Sacha  wrote in news:7kmmncF39iks2U4
@mid.individual.net:

> On 2009-10-26 22:12:32 +0000, Adrian Tupper 
>  said:
> 
>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kgjqrF38p3r5U2
>> @mid.individual.net:
>> 
>>> On 2009-10-24 15:38:54 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>  said:
>>> 
>>>> Sacha  wrote in news:7kg4ffF39lo51U3
>>>> @mid.individual.net:
>>>> 
>>>>> On 2009-10-24 11:37:11 +0100, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>  said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>> news:7kg11oF39ao77U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 2009-10-24 10:49:52 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On 23 Oct 2009 18:08:52 GMT, Adrian Tupper
>>>>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Sacha  wrote in
>>>>>>>>> news:7ke8f1F3a04o0U1@mid.individual.net:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, 
cooked
>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on
>> Christmas
>>>>>>>>>> Day, rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3
>>>>>>>>>> hours?   If so how long was it microwaved for and at what
>> setting
>>>>>>>>>> for size etc? Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it
>>>>>>>>>> doesn't boil dry is a ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Yes I don't bother with steaming any more.  Allegedly steaming
>>>>>>>>> tastes better than microwaving but frankly I can't tell the
>>>>>>>>> difference.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Best to look up recipes on the net that give cooking times -
>> these
>>>>>>>>> will hardly vary with anything other than overall weight.  I
>> seem
>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> recall about 20 mins when you make it and 10 on the day to re-
>> heat
>>>>>>>>> for a pud in a small plastic bowl - about 2-3lbs I guess.
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 10 minutes was the time to microwave reheat a supermarket
>> Christmas
>>>>>>>> pudding.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Aren't those rather smaller. Mine goes into a 1 pint dish, IIRC.
>> I
>>>>>>> suppose the answer is the trust skewer thrust into the middle to
>>>> check
>>>>>>> it's cooked!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> My guess is that 10 mins is fine for a 1pt bowl.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> (although it depends what the bowl is made of - pyrex isn't so
>>>>>> transparent to microwaves as plastic)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Suppose you could remove it from the bowl before reheating.  But 
I
>>>>>> wouldn't like to risk watching it collapse.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I'm not risking that!  I make mine in china bowls - those old-
>>>> fashioned
>>>>> fairly thick white china ones.
>>>> 
>>>> Probably not microwave-friendly in that case.  Might crack and will
>>>> probably be opaque to the microwaves.  Looks like it's back to the
>>>> steam!  (or use plastic bowls)
>>> 
>>> Groan.  Off to the Lakeland site.........!   ;-)
>> 
>> IKEA used to and possibly still do a nice set of 5 nested plastic 
bowls
>> for a ridiculously small amount of money.  Ideal for puds of 
different
>> sizes.
> 
> Thanks, Adrian, I found  a plastic Kitchenware 2 pint bowl in our 
> ironmongers today and two packs of 90cm square butter muslin, so I'm 
> set for this Christmas!

OK, good luck then!

-- 
Adrian

Remove packaging and take out insurance before emailing me

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kjgqmF39tcaaU2@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-25 16:28:28 +0000, "alan.holmes"  
> said:
>
>>
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7keqrmF38lgssU2@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>
>>>> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If 
>>>>> so
>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>
>>>> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>
>>>> Pressure cooker job, innit?
>>>
>>> Ain't got one, don't want one!
>>
>> Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one
>> somewhere, carefully filed away!
>>
>> Alan
>
> Despite all that's been said here, I still can't get over an irrational 
> fear of them.

I'll let you off, this time(:-)

Alan



> -- 
> Sacha
>

On 2009-10-28 14:32:11 +0000, "alan.holmes"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7kjgqmF39tcaaU2@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-25 16:28:28 +0000, "alan.holmes" 
>> said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7keqrmF38lgssU2@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>> 
>>>>> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>> so
>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>> 
>>>>> Pressure cooker job, innit?
>>>> 
>>>> Ain't got one, don't want one!
>>> 
>>> Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one
>>> somewhere, carefully filed away!
>>> 
>>> Alan
>> 
>> Despite all that's been said here, I still can't get over an irrational
>> fear of them.
> 
> I'll let you off, this time(:-)
> 
> Alan

You're all heart, Alan!  ;-)
-- 
Sacha

"Sacha"  wrote in message 
news:7kr3niF3bm328U2@mid.individual.net...
> On 2009-10-28 14:32:11 +0000, "alan.holmes"  
> said:
>
>>
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7kjgqmF39tcaaU2@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-25 16:28:28 +0000, "alan.holmes" 
>>> 
>>> said:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>> news:7keqrmF38lgssU2@mid.individual.net...
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas 
>>>>>>> Day,
>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Pressure cooker job, innit?
>>>>>
>>>>> Ain't got one, don't want one!
>>>>
>>>> Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one
>>>> somewhere, carefully filed away!
>>>>
>>>> Alan
>>>
>>> Despite all that's been said here, I still can't get over an irrational
>>> fear of them.
>>
>> I'll let you off, this time(:-)
>>
>> Alan
>
> You're all heart, Alan!  ;-)


You've noticed! (:-)

Alan

> -- 
> Sacha
>

On 2009-10-28 20:08:13 +0000, "alan.holmes"  said:

> 
> "Sacha"  wrote in message
> news:7kr3niF3bm328U2@mid.individual.net...
>> On 2009-10-28 14:32:11 +0000, "alan.holmes" 
>> said:
>> 
>>> 
>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>> news:7kjgqmF39tcaaU2@mid.individual.net...
>>>> On 2009-10-25 16:28:28 +0000, "alan.holmes"
>>>> 
>>>> said:
>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>>> news:7keqrmF38lgssU2@mid.individual.net...
>>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas
>>>>>>>> Day,
>>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Pressure cooker job, innit?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Ain't got one, don't want one!
>>>>> 
>>>>> Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one
>>>>> somewhere, carefully filed away!
>>>>> 
>>>>> Alan
>>>> 
>>>> Despite all that's been said here, I still can't get over an irrational
>>>> fear of them.
>>> 
>>> I'll let you off, this time(:-)
>>> 
>>> Alan
>> 
>> You're all heart, Alan!  ;-)
> 
> 
> You've noticed! (:-)
> 
> Alan

After a few years you get to know these things. ;-)
-- 
Sacha

On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:45:06 +0000, Sacha  wrote:

>On 2009-10-28 14:32:11 +0000, "alan.holmes"  said:
>
>> 
>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>> news:7kjgqmF39tcaaU2@mid.individual.net...
>>> On 2009-10-25 16:28:28 +0000, "alan.holmes" 
>>> said:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Sacha"  wrote in message
>>>> news:7keqrmF38lgssU2@mid.individual.net...
>>>>> On 2009-10-23 23:52:12 +0100, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:46:10 +0100, Sacha  wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> In the next week, I hope to make ours.  Once it's made, cooked and
>>>>>>> stored etc., has anyone micro-waved a home made one on Christmas Day,
>>>>>>> rather than steaming it for the (apparently) mandatory 3 hours?   If
>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>> how long was it microwaved for and at what setting for size etc?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Yes, but the time was on the wrapping :o)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Steaming the wretched thing and making sure it doesn't boil dry is a
>>>>>>> ferreting nuisance every Christmas!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Pressure cooker job, innit?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Ain't got one, don't want one!
>>>> 
>>>> Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one
>>>> somewhere, carefully filed away!
>>>> 
>>>> Alan
>>> 
>>> Despite all that's been said here, I still can't get over an irrational
>>> fear of them.
>> 
>> I'll let you off, this time(:-)
>> 
>> Alan
>
>You're all heart, Alan!  ;-)

which reminds you of a recipe your grandmother left you in her will? :)
-- 

Martin

On 2009-10-28 20:56:11 +0000, Martin <me@address.invalid> said:

> On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:45:06 +0000, Sacha  wrote:
> 
>> On 2009-10-28 14:32:11 +0000, "alan.holmes"  said:
>> <snip>
>>>>> 
>>>>> Shame on you Sacha for not wanting a pressure cooker< I've got one
>>>>> somewhere, carefully filed away!
>>>>> 
>>>>> Alan
>>>> 
>>>> Despite all that's been said here, I still can't get over an irrational
>>>> fear of them.
>>> 
>>> I'll let you off, this time(:-)
>>> 
>>> Alan
>> 
>> You're all heart, Alan!  ;-)
> 
> which reminds you of a recipe your grandmother left you in her will? :)

Ugh.  She knew me too well for that.
-- 
Sacha