An Ode to the Fat Outcast

Two of the puddings are merrily steaming away in their pots of water. So many things cooking on the stovetop does become as bit of a logistical issue – hence my decision to split my pudding making over two days. They take 5-8 hours each to cook, which seems like and inordinately long time to me.

Making Christmas puddings is much less labour intensive than making Christmas cakes. No creaming and folding etc just chuck it all in a mixing bowl. I did manage to find Shreddo at the local supermarket – I think I probably doubled their monthly suet sales. This may just be me but suet smells fantastic – meaty in a baking kind of way. That sounds so wrong but it is sooooo right.

I think animal fat is highly underrated –yes I know it’s highly saturated etc etc, don’t get me wrong here – it’s not health food. Besides I bet you use butter without thinking twice – don’t you! Blue top milk in the cup of tea perhaps? Crackling? What I am saying is that we seem to shy away from these things now – lard, dripping, suet - and they’ve gone out of fashion but they can be so fantastic. These heavy, rich, hard fats do things that your extra virgin olive oil, your rice bran oil or even butter could never dream of doing. Honest! We should treat them as a luxury not food pariahs. Ok I’ll get off my soap box now, promise.

So my puddings are in their pots on the stove and I won’t be here to take them off the heat unfortunately. I have to go out to Christmas in the park – that’s given my geographical location away – so the Mother will be removing them from the heat at the appropriate time. Not that she is staying at home all night – oh no – she, her Tom and the husband are all taking a trip back to the 1970’s and going to the Angus Steakhouse for dinner. It really is a night for animal products.