[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Puddings

[Janette]

On 10/1/07, Carol <justcarol67 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Geoff:
> > Adding to Goddlelfrood's comment, UK speakers, when referring to the
> last course of a meal might variously call them "puddings", "sweets"
> or "afters".
> >
> Carol:
> I thought it was just called "pudding," no "s," as in "What's for
> pudding?" the way an American would say, What's for dessert?" And I
> thought "sweets" referred chiefly to what Americans call "candy."
>
> Carol, wondering how to make clear what we Americans mean by "pudding"


montims:

Geoff was just giving the plural - generally, one would refer to it in the
singular - "what would you like for pudding?"  "What's your favourite
pudding?"  But for example you can say, "I can't choose - all these
puddings look so delicious..."  "My favourite puddings are treacle tart and
spotted dick", for example.

Certainly, sweet is used interchangably.  One can usually tell what is meant
by the context - "would you like a sweet?" at the dinner table is presumed
to refer to pudding, or dessert (synonyms here).  On a train would probably
mean "candy", but never chocolate - when chocolate is intended, it is
specified - "would you like some chocolate"/ "would you like a chocolate?"
depending on whether it is being broken off a bar or spoken of generally, or
in individual pieces...

As I understand it, a pudding in America is gooey and fluffy, like
blancmange, or Instant whip, in various flavours, sometimes with a pastry
base.  Would that be correct, more or less?


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