The Rehoboth
Reporter
DECEMBER 2012 Volume 24, no. 12
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Serving the Residents of Rehoboth, Seekonk and Surrounding Communities Since 1989
Christmas Plum Pudding: An Old English Tradition
2012 Holiday Guide Turn to page 76
by Leslie Patterson “Now bring us some figgy pudding,” sing the carollers in “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. Figgy pudding is better known as plum pudding, that mainstay of a traditional English Christmas feast. (The plums are actually what we call prunes.) Some people like to keep up this old English tradition at the holidays. You can buy pre-made plum puddings from various sources but this boiled pudding is fun to make if you have the time and ambition. (You will need a metal pudding mold to cook it in -- you can also find these from various suppliers on the web.) My husband Bill grew up in a family where Christmas pudding was a beloved holiday tradition, so I have a resident expert to consult on the making of the pudding. Bill says, “I inherited my pudding pot from my Aunt Sadie, who made plum pudding every year. My Uncle Percy really liked the stuff. His father was from Manchester. The traditional sauce for this is brandy hard sauce and I was thrilled as a kid to have the opportunity each Christmas to eat anything with alcohol in it!” It’s true that this old-fashioned dessert is a bit of an acquired taste. It is like a very dark, dense fruitcake, but much more moist, and is served warm with a brandied sauce. It should be prepared weeks in advance and then on the day it is served it is boiled in a pudding pan with a latching lid inside a very large pot of water for several hours. continued on page 9...
Happy Holidays!
The Pontes family on Broad Street in Rehoboth displays wonderful Holiday cheer. Lights dance, Mr. & Mrs. Claus chat, and holiday music plays. You can’t help not to stop when driving by. This year, donations are being collected for the Jacob Roy fund. Hours are Mon-Thurs 5-10 and Fri-Sun 5-11. Santa arrives with a few of his best friends from 5-8 Sunday 12/9 for some popcorn & hot chocolate. Please park in the driveway on the grass to the left.