From The Holly & The Thistle, The Twelfth Night Wager and A Secret Scottish Christmas:
Christmas Plum Pudding
Christmas pudding was a mixture of thirteen ingredients (to represent Christ and the twelve apostles), which was boiled in a pudding cloth. The usual ingredients included suet, brown sugar, raisins, currants, citron, lemon and orange peels, spices, crumbs, flour, eggs, milk and brandy.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb. Suet
1 lb. cane sugar
1 lb. raisins
1 lb. sultanas (golden seedless raisins)
4 oz. citron peel
4 oz. candied peel
1 tsp. mixed spice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. breadcrumbs
1/2 lb. sifted flour
1 lb. eggs (weighed in their shells)
1 wine glass full of brandy
1/2 pint milk
Prepare all ingredients, well whip the eggs, add to milk, and thoroughly mix. Let stand for 12 hours in a cool place, add brandy and put into well-greased basins and boil 8 hours or longer. Sufficient for 20-28.
(From the Regency Christmas Feast: http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article022.html)--and served in The Holly & The Thistle!
1 1/4 lb. Suet
1 lb. cane sugar
1 lb. raisins
1 lb. sultanas (golden seedless raisins)
4 oz. citron peel
4 oz. candied peel
1 tsp. mixed spice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. breadcrumbs
1/2 lb. sifted flour
1 lb. eggs (weighed in their shells)
1 wine glass full of brandy
1/2 pint milk
Prepare all ingredients, well whip the eggs, add to milk, and thoroughly mix. Let stand for 12 hours in a cool place, add brandy and put into well-greased basins and boil 8 hours or longer. Sufficient for 20-28.
(From the Regency Christmas Feast: http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article022.html)--and served in The Holly & The Thistle!
Wassail
The tradition of Wassail is a long one. The word “Wassail” comes from the Anglo-Saxon toast “Waes Hael” or “Be Whole” and speaks of the Medieval tradition whereby folks would drink cider to the health of the apple trees and each other. In Regency England, the drink would vary by region but could be spiced apple cider with orange juice and brandy or sherry. The recipe below is perhaps a more modern version to which can be added the liquor of your choice.
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A half gallon apple cider (8 cups)
4 cups orange juice (fresh if you can get the oranges) 2 cups water (can use herb tea) Honey or sugar to taste (if the juices are sweet, you may need none) (Note: the quantities of the above can be varied according to your taste) Place in a cheesecloth sack: 1 Tablespoon whole cloves 1 Tablespoon whole allspice 2-4 sticks cinnamon |
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Combine the ingredients and let the wassail simmer very slowly for 2 hours. You can add water if it evaporates too much. Your home will smell wonderful! Adding brandy or sherry will make it an adult drink, of course. Serve warm, garnished with orange slices. This wonderful tradition is in all my Christmas stories!
Eggnog
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 quart milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
6 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 quart milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Beat eggs, sugar and salt together in a saucepan. Stir in half the milk (2 cups). On low heat, cook until mixture is thick and thinly coats a spoon. Make sure to stir constantly. Remove from heat and mix in the last of the milk and the vanilla.
Cover and chill overnight. Serve eggnog with a dusting of nutmeg and cinnamon.
(From the Jane Austen Centre: http://www.janeausten.co.uk/here-we-come-a-wassailing and https://www.janeausten.co.uk/eggnog/)
Cover and chill overnight. Serve eggnog with a dusting of nutmeg and cinnamon.
(From the Jane Austen Centre: http://www.janeausten.co.uk/here-we-come-a-wassailing and https://www.janeausten.co.uk/eggnog/)