British Cuisine - explanations.

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., inyron at y... wrote:
> What is Spotted Dick?  No, really?
> 
> And while I'm reveling in my ignorance, how about Yorkshire 
pudding, 
> Haggis, bangers and mash, or treacle tarts?  And is "pudding" a 
name 
> for any dessert?
> 
> inyron
> 
I'm being kind in answering this (either that or being an 
insufferable know it all!)

Spotted Dick is a pudding, which is a sponge, in which the fat 
content is either suet or butter, depending on taste, and has 
currants mixed into it (hence the spotted element).  It can be baked, 
or for best results, steamed. (I don't know where the "Dick" came 
from, and even Gary Rhodes doesn't seem to be able to answer that 
one).

Yorkshire Pudding is a batter which is poured onto hot fat and baked 
in the oven, where it rises to become light and crisp on top, and 
more dough like at the bottom.  It is traditionally served with gravy 
before the main meal of roast meat (back in deprived times when it 
was used to fill people up so they wouldn't want more of the 
expensive meat) but now is usually served as part of a roast dinner, 
usually on Sunday lunchtimes.

Haggis is a horrible Scottish concoction of various offally parts 
which are mixed with oatmeal or bran, put in a sausage skin type 
thing (either a pig's caul or bladder or something equally repellent) 
and boiled.  Traditionally eaten on Burn's Night in Scotland.

Bangers and mash is sausages, fried, served with mash potatoes.

Treacle tart - oh, surely you know this one?  A pastry crust filled 
with treacle (usually golden syrup mixed with oats or breadcrumbs to 
give it texture, and lemon juice so it isn't too sickly) baked and 
preferably served with custard (Ambrosia is my favourite).  Kind of 
like pecan pie without the pecans.

Pudding is a generic term for desserts, but also refers to 
specifically sponge type desserts.  Just to confuse, it is also used 
for various savoury dishes, such as Steak and Kidney pudding, 
Yorkshire pudding etc.

Phew! 
(Do you think Steve could do with some help with his British part of 
Lexicon?)


Catherine
Who obviously has far too much time on her hands (and is also a 
cookery book junky.)