History of the christmas pudding

How to Make Your Own Christmas Pudding.

If you ask anyone in Britain who enjoys a traditional Christmas what they will be eating this Christmas Day, most would say roast turkey, followed by Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. I know this because it's what we have every year and I love it. When my wife, who is American, had her first Christmas dinner with my family several years ago, I was surprised when she said she had never had Christmas pudding before. Up until then I wrongly believed everyone ate it at Christmas. So for all those British - and my American friends - let's look at the traditions of the Christmas pudding. I have also included a recipe so that this year you can all try it.

According to Matthew Walker, Britain’s largest producer of Christmas puddings and the Wickham Primary School, the Christmas pudding originated as a porridge in the 14th century. It was made of beef, mutton, raisins, currants, prunes, wine, and mixed spices. It was eaten as a fasting dish before the Christmas celebrations began. In the 16th century, it became known as plum pudding when spirits and dried fruit were added along with eggs to thicken it. The meat ingredients had also been removed. It was banned by the Puritans in 1664, but was reintroduced by George I in 1714 after he had tried it and thought it was delicious. A king certainly can’t be wrong!

However, it was the Victorians who reinvented the tradition of the Christmas pudding, and it is them we have to thank for the Christmas tradition we know today. There are a range of customs and traditions that surround the Christmas pudding. In my family, we add silver coins to the pudding for luck, and we all have a stir of the pudding and make a wish. Wickham Primary School talk of these traditions on their web site and mention that traditionally those who find the coins are supposed to get the luck, and if they made a wish, their wishes will come true. Other traditions include adding gold rings to the mix to indicate the finder will get married in the coming year, or thimbles were added to indicate the finder would remain a spinster. Such traditions have largely been eliminated since such depressing discoveries tend to take away from the joy and good cheer Christmas is supposed to be all about.

III. Insert the appropriate words inside of each sentence. You can find the list of words below:

1. When my wife, who is American, had her first Christmas d…….. with my family several years ago, I was surprised when she said she had never had Christmas p…….. before.

2. So for all those B……. - and my A…….. friends - let's look at the t……… of the Christmas pudding.

3. The Christmas pudding o…….. as a p……… in the 14th century.

4. It was made of b……, mutton, r………., currants, p………, wine, and m……. spices.

5. It was eaten as a f….…… d……… before the Christmas celebrations began.

6. The m…… ingredients had also been r………...

7. It was b…….. by the Puritans in 1664.

8. It was the V………… who r………….. the tradition of the Christmas pudding.

9. We a…… silver coins to the pudding for l…….., and we all have a s……. of the pudding and make a w……..

10. One tradition includes adding g……. rings to the mix to indicate the finder will get m…….. in the coming year.

(Stir, Victorians, beef, porridge, wish, traditions, removed, married, fasting dish, banned, raisins, dinner, American, meat, gold, pudding, British, originates, prunes, mixed, add, reinvented, luck.)

4. Turn these words into the correct sentences:

1. I, wrongly, everyone, up until then, believed, at, it, Christmas, ate.

2. A recipe, can, you, all, have included, also, this year, so, that, try it, you.

3. That, a range of customs & traditions, are, and, there, the Christmas pudding, surround.

4. Thank for, the Victorians, have to, the Christmas pudding, we.

5. We, silver, to the pudding, add, coins, for luck.

6. The finder, were added, to indicate, thimbles, a spinster, remain, would.

7. Was surprised, said, had never had, she, I, when, she, before, Christmas pudding.

4. Complete these sentences according to the text:

1. When my wife, who is American, had her first Christmas dinner with my family several years ago,……………………………

2. ……………………….when spirits and dried fruit were added along with eggs to thicken it.

3. ………………………the Christmas pudding originated as a porridge in the 14th century.

4. Wickham Primary School talk of these traditions on their web site and mention that traditionally those…………………………………

5. Such traditions have largely been eliminated since such depressing discoveries tend to…….

4. Find English equivalents for the following words. Make up 3 sentences of your own:

Напёрсток, наслаждаться ч-л, жареная индейка, до настоящего момента, включать рецепт, происходить, каша, говядина, баранина, изюм, слива, смородина, постное блюдо, чернослив, алкоголь, сделать блюдо гуще, извлекать, запрещать, серебряная монетка, суета (переполох), оставаться к-л, старая дева, устранять ч-л, радость, заключать в себе смысл, бодрость.

4. Tell whether it is true or false:

1. My wife cooks the most delicious Christmas pudding.

2. The traditional Christmas dishes are roast turkey and pudding with brandy sauce.

3. Up until then I wrongly believed nobody ate it at Christmas.

4. I have also excluded a recipe so that this year you can’t all try it.

5. It was made of apples, salmon, raisins, carrots, prunes, cola, and liver.

6. The fruit ingredients had also been removed.

7. We add silver coins to the pudding for luck, and we all have a stir of the pudding and make a wish.

8. Other tradition includes adding thimbles to indicate the finder will get married in the coming year.

9. The meat ingredients were reintroduced by George I in 1714.

10. There are a range of secrecy and traditions that surround the Christmas pudding.

4. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the main issue of the article?

2. Had the author oкhis wife ever tasted Christmas pudding?

3. The author included a recipe of pudding in the article, didn’t he? What for do you think?

4. Who is Britain’s largest producer of Christmas pudding?

5. What was Christmas pudding made of?

6. Had meat or fruit ingredients been removed from a recipe? Why?

7. Were they reintroduced by George I in 1714?

8. Which traditions connected with Christmas pudding can you account?

9. What would you like to find in your pudding?

10. This fasting dish was banned by George I, wasn’t it?

4. You are asked to give the recipe of your favourite dish. Present it in such a manner, that everybody wants to cook it.

4. Retell the article using the appropriate vocabulary.