Gardening

Peel, candied fruit, raisins,
blanched almonds, brown sugar,
molasses ... what on earth are we

ular case, about Christmas pud-
dings.

I have my Great-grandmother’s
wonderful recipe for a pudding so
rich that one can gain ten pounds
just smelling the spicy fragrance of
it cooking.

I only attempt this luxurious
dessert every three or four years...
@ making enough then, to last the
family at least three years, This
fall, while sorting out things in the
freezer where, among other things,

& pudding so rich
thaf one can gain
fen pounds just
smelling the spicy
fragrance of if
cooking’

I store them, it occurred to me that

THIS would have to be a pudding

making year! There were only two

___ small ones left, and far too many

‘@ mouths to feed for this to be
enough.

An interesting thing has hap-
pened since last I made the family
recipe. I had given away most of
the puddings, IN THEIR BOWLS.
: en I went shopping for replace-
| mients I found their price had gone

clear out of sight!

I scoured the second-hand
stores, but they, too, were without
bowls. One day though, I found an
ad in the local paper advertising
the right bowls, and after my
frantic call the store put eight
medium and two large ones aside.

Next, I called my youngest
daughter to see if she could help
me make puddings. She could. So
again I went downtown, and this
time bought raisins by the bushel,

talking about? Well, in this partic-,

currants by the ton, almonds, can-
died fruit, peel and suet, and
Staggered home with the lot.

I then picked up my daughter
and the two of us went to work. I
peeled carrots, she broke in ten
eggs, added the raisins, currants
and suet while I blanched the

almonds. We added bread crumbs,
spices, flour, plum juice, etc.

Things seemed to be going
along beautifully, when my daugh-
ter said, “Mum, something seems
Strange. I can’t ever recall this pan
being so loaded with stuff.”

I tumed around and was horri-
fied to discover the pan was so
full, the contents couldn’t be
stirred without spilling over.

Senility has obviously set in!
The original recipe (carefully cop-
ied into my first cookbook) had
been designed to feed a family of
ten hearty eaters. Always before I
have HALVED the recipe, but not
this year! Confidently I had
bought enough for the whole sha-
boo, and that is what we had in the
works!

Good grief, now we'd need
more pudding bowls! When I

‘Cooking Christmas pudding
becomes a wild adventure

stopped crying, and blew my nose

to clear my head, it seemed possi- ~

ble to empty out cooked puddings,
and re-use the new bowls. What’s
a little additional work when you
are already so busy you can’t
thing? You'll scarcely notice the
difference!

Fifteen Christmas puddings was
the final count and I have been
cooking them ever since! Five
hours they must be steamed, and
my largest canner holds only four,
SO now you know why our win-
dows are all fogged over, and the
houseplants think they are winter-
ing in a tropical paradise!

If you should have a minute to
read this, now is the time to bring
your Christmas cactus into the
living room. It should flower
almost immediately. I have put
“himself’s” budding amaryllis
out in the unheated greenhouse to
try to retard its flowering.

It is going to be glorious, and
wouldn’t it be lovely to have it
blooming on Christmas Day?

If you have bought cyclamen,
azaleas, poinsettias or chrysanthe-
mums for Christmas decoration,
do try to keep them as cool as
possible.

Should you have a glassed-in
porch, or balcony, they could be
put out there each night to cool

their enthusiasm somewhat, and —

please, don’t forget, in all the

Christmas rush, to water them |
~ occasionally!
A hint from my eldest on cook- ©

ing the perfect turkey; She has
tried this and says it works mira-
cles. Pour boiling water over the
whole bird, both inside and out
before stuffing and cooking it. I
am certainly going to try this
myself!

“himself” joins me in wishing
all of you a happy and healthful
Holiday season, and a simply
spectacular garden in 1991!

‘Christmas the natural
‘way...

e Lots of Great

Stocking Stuffers! ‘

COOKIES & MUFFINS
e Wine ¥ Sos
A Mulling -4x- CHRIS BAKIN
Spices Se SUPPLIES:
SX *vegetarian mincemeat
\ e Sugar Fre
| ne Carob
} . ({ Christmas
Treats!
a e Great Gift
el Baskets!
Natural Candy Canes!
"Fam i
=) Wt CT Lae
| A REAL FOODS STORE
| C 7060 W. SAANICH RD. 652-1211 )

WE BAKE
SUGAR-FREE
CHRISTMAS CAKES

Tn Greater Vancouver call

RECYCLE

(732-9253)

Do A Number On Your Garbage.

For information on how, what and where to recycle

Or call toll free

1-800-667-4321

ZA
British Columbia
Handle with care
fe ee eee

TheReview Wednesday, December 19,1990 — B9

= Sp eee ae
Great Gift Ideas
J
Looking for
something
special?

Check our
gift ideas
in the
Classifieds!

—_ VVVVVVIV VT

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