British Foods

[pengolodh_sc]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter, "spinelli372003" wrote:
> Barbara wrote:
> > Can someone enlighten me as to what these
> > foods are (and what they're made from) so I
> > can get a better sense of Ron's gustatory
> > enjoyment?
> > 
> > treacle tart, spotted dick, chocolate
> > gateau, Yorkshire pudding
> > 
> > And if there's anything else written in the
> > books that might be a British delicacy or
> > specialty, please feel free to mention that
> > too!
> 
> Spotted dick is a pastry that has raisins in
> it.  That from of all things the movie King
> Ralph with John Goodman, lol.  Hope that helps.  
> Have no idea what treacle tart is.  Although
> in another scene Mr Weasly puts treacle in
> his porrige so maybe it is like cinnamon sugar 
> maybe?

The word treacle is theoretically generic for any syrup made in the 
process of refining sugar cane, but light treacle (which apparently 
is not molasses in the US sense of the word) is mostly called golden 
syrup in Britain, I understand, with the word treacle used only for 
the dark molasses.  Treacle can be used also for making toffee, as 
shown at:
http://thefoody.com/sweets/treacletoffee.html

Treacle tarts are basically sweet pies, the filling based on golden 
syrup () mixed with breadcrumbs and flavouring/seasoning (lemon-
juice, ginger).  See sample recipe at BBC:
http://tinyurl.com/26xt2
Golden syrup can apparently be approximated with either a mix of 2 
parts corn syrup and 1 part molasses, or a mix of 1 part each of 
honey and corn syrup.

Spotted dick is a boiled pudding based on suet (hard fat found round 
the kidneys of sheep and oxen).  See sample recipe:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spotdick.htm

The abovementioned dictionary defines gateau as being rich fancy 
cake, often served in slices.  See sample recipe for chocolate gateau 
at at:
http://tinyurl.com/2o8mf

Best regards
Christian Stubø