Wednesday 13 October 2021

Yorkshire pud and other things

 I was interested to read what Melinda had to say about Yorkshire puddings.   Back when I was a child - and I am sure for many years before - Yorkshire puds were made and then the tin was put underneath the roast beef joint so that it could drip on the pudding as it cooked giving it the flavour of the beef.  Now most people cook small, individual puds but we always had one large one which was divided up into portions.   The Yorkshire pudding was often served before rather than with the meat and veg, so that by the time one got to the meat one ate less - meat was expensive so the cook would make it last an extra day.

My mother would also make a Yorkshire pudding for dessert.   Now people will eat it served with butter and sugar but mum often served it with rhubarb cooked in it or slices of apple and then sugar sprinkled on the top.   Rhubarb was always my favourite.   Why it is called 'Yorkshire' I have no idea but as far back as I can remember it has always been a traditional and also a favourite pudding.

Reading through this on Wednesday I recalled a tale my mother-in-law once told me.   She was a very hard working farmer's wife of the old school and she ruled most things with a rod of iron.   Back in the days when all the farmers helped one another with things like the hay crop the farmer's wife provided the lunch for everyone when their hay was got in.   She always made a huge suet pudding which was steamed over the stove for the whole morning while the beef was roasting in the oven.   Then a big slice of the suet pudding with good gravy was served first to fill up a good corner before anyone started on the meat and veg.   Now a machine does all the haymaking and the microwave serves up the food in a lot of cases (and the farmer's wife goes out to work to help make ends meet in many cases.   How times have changed).

This morning when I switched the sitting room  lights on one of the cluster in the centre of the room had blown.  I was surprised that it hadn't tripped a fuse but it hadn't.   I texted my friends T and S and said could they please call when they were passing and take the bulbs out for me because I remembered the electrician telling me that when a bulb in the cluster died it would be sensible to change them all. **  Within an hour the was done and new I am waiting for the electrician to pop along (he only lives a few doors away) and just check that all is in order because T was not happy about the state of the old bulbs.   Friends are an absolute godsend for me - I am so lucky. 

We seem to be back on the right mast with the television after a day of to-ing and fro-ing yesterday.   Its nice just to press one switch and on it comes.   Speaking of which did anyone in the UK watch the amazing 'Who do you think you are?' last night?

**for led bulbs

 


 

 

27 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

My mother made a large suet pudding for Sunday roast, in the same cloth that she used every week. Half the pudding was served sliced on the roast and the other half was kept back for "afters" served with treacle, jam or sugar on.

Ellen D. said...

Thanks for explaining that! I had to google suet pudding just now too. Interesting!

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

My father used to like to eat up any left-over Yorkshire as a pudding. He'd have it cold with a little Golden Syrup poured on it. He always told us that when he was younger the Yorkshire was served first with gravy, then the rest of the dinner was eaten afterwards. One of my mum's specialities was bacon and onion pudding (basically a suet pudding with bacon and onion mixed in). Just the thing after a cold day working on the farm!

Debbie said...

Being native to the region, my family has always taken Yorkshire Pudding seriously - nay religiously. My mother's special spoon has ended up with me (measures a perfect amount of flour) and we have strong views on the dish - to the extent that my mother once scolded a Hotel Chef for making it all wrong (in her view).

As was the tradition we had it before the joint every Sunday -and Xmas dinner - and such was the importance of this dish to us - there was a piece always set aside for the dog! (And this had to be hidden as my father would snaffle cold pudding as well!)

Happy days!

JayCee said...

My grandma (father's mother) hailed from Barnsley and taught me how to make "proper" Yorkshire pudding when I was still quite young. She died when I was around 10 I think. I remember she told me to make sure that the fat was "spitting hot" before pouring the batter into the tin. Quite a hazardous task for a child!

Sue said...

I enjoyed reading this, as I do all your posts. It brought back memories of childhood in the Pennsylvania Dutch community in the 1950's. There were many to feed, and even on a farm, meat was considered special. As you know, it took months of work to raise a pig and not a bit was wasted. Certainly no one thought of taking a huge portion or asking for seconds. The only difference is we used white bread and gravy to fill up AFTER the main plate. Then on to pie and cakes-- always on the table at the same time.

Rambler said...

I love my Yorkshires and make them just like Mum did (and Grandma) - in a square tin and portions were cut up for serving. Like you, it was the first course, served with gravy and following the meat and veg, it was more Yorkshire Pudding served with butter and sugar. My mouth is watering now!!!
Yes, I watched Josh Widdicombe's story last night - amazing. I don't think I've ever seen a more interesting 'Who do you think you are' programme; more and more revelations, each one more remarkable and interesting than before.
I wonder if he managed to keep quiet about it until after his parents saw it for themselves? Somehow, I don't think he'd manage it - it was quite mind-blowing wasn't it?

Joan (Devon) said...

My Mum was born in Bristol and made the best Yorkshire puddings I've ever had. With this in mind you'd think that I, who was born in Yorkshire, would follow her example, but I'm afraid my Yorkshire puddings are pitiful. We buy them frozen now.

Yes I watched Who Do You Think You Are and it reminded of the one with Matthew Pinsent (the rower) as his direct ancestry went back to royalty too, can't remember which king he was descended from.

Unknown said...

I very rarely make Yorkshire pudding, although I am a Yorkshire girl now removed. We always had Yorkshire pudding as a first course with gravy as a first course. Also at Christmas we had a different starter before the chicken. It was called seasoned pudding which was basically made in a roastin tin and served with gravy. I grew up in Leeds in the late 40s/50s.

Best wishes.

The Feminine Energy said...

My husband read that quite awhile ago about Christmas tree lights. He read that once one bulb on the string goes out, you should replace that one bulb because one being out causes a huge draw on the other bulbs & makes them burn out a lot faster. Maybe the same with your bulb too? The only time I've ever had Yorkshire pudding was at a restaurant in the next town over back in the 1970s. They'd serve a little square of the pudding along with prime rib and oh my gosh, how delicious it was!!! I loved it!!!! And I've never had it since. I'd love to have just one more slice! ~Andrea xoxoxo

Bovey Belle said...

It's been an electrical day here too, as we've had an up-to-date fuse box fitted, various lights changed and my new cooker installed. Glad your light bulbs were all changed and you have TV BACK!

I'm just watching Yorkshire Farm which we recorded last night.

Yorkshire puddings - my son makes them at Christmas and they are like skyscrapers! I've read about the big ones being eaten first to fill up the corners before the meat and veg were served. Sensible!

CharlotteP said...

My Nan made gorgeous Yorkshire puddings...I keep trying, but mine never measure up!

Jennifer said...

I've always wanted to try a real Yorkshire Pudding, but I suppose I'll have to make it myself if it's ever going to happen. Just like when I was inspired by John Gray to try Scotch Eggs--no one around here had ever heard of them, much less sells them.

Interesting when you talk about your MIL feeding a big lunch to the farm hands. My grandparents used to talk about those days long past when a big midday "dinner" was always cooked for the people working hard at harvest time. In this part of the world in the 1930s and 40s that mostly meant people working in tobacco fields. Both my maternal grandparents were born into sharecropper families.

The Weaver of Grass said...

My goodness me our Mums knew how to eke out the food and still make it wholesome and delicious didn't they?

Bonnie said...

I love hearing about your life as a child. I have never eaten Yorkshire Pudding but I would love to try it!

Joanne Noragon said...

When my brother was married to Hazel, from Cambridge, she made Yorkshire puddings for us, but never as a desert. That's a shame.

Janie Junebug said...

I had to Google Yorkshire pudding, which I've heard of before but never knew what it was. The recipe looks similar to a simple version of American biscuits or muffins with the beef flavor added. Maybe I'll try it.

Love,
Janie

Debby said...

Like Janie, I had heard of yorkshire pudding, but did not know what it was. Our son-in-law introduced us to them as well as 'full English breakfasts'.



Cro Magnon said...

I had an aunt who would pour her batter into the hot roasting tin (underneath the Joint of Beef). It would instantly puff-up, and seemed to cook in seconds. To this day it was the best Yorkshire Pudding I've ever eaten.

Hilde said...

In Germany, a pudding is a dessert made with milk, sugar, starch flour and cocoa or vanilla. So, when I first found Yorkshire pudding mentioned in English books (in German translation, of course), I was very astonished about the combination of meat and a sweet dish. I ate my first Yorkshire pudding when I visited GB for the first time, and now I even make it myself from time to time. I am sure it is not the right thing but we like iit.

Cherie said...

When I was pregnant I used to stuff spare Yorkshire puds with peanut butter and syrup and warm them in the oven... oh bliss.

thelma said...

Pure delicious carbohydrate is Yorkshire pudding, even vegetarians can eat it with a good gravy. Mine never entered the airy heights that some do, but even the dogs begged for a bite;). It is the moment of apprehension as they come out of the oven and serve the meal.

Librarian said...

So far, I have only ever eaten Yorkshire pudding as part of a proper Sunday roast, with meat and veg and gravy. My Yorkshire husband taught me how to make them, and occasionally I invite family over for a meal with YPs as a side dish - they are always a big success, and my sister keeps asking when I will next be making them.
With the colder weather and early nights now on us, it is the right time to make something in the oven; warms the kitchen up nicely and makes for a cosy flat allover.

Melinda from Ontario said...

I was delighted to hear that Yorkshire pudding can be treated as a dessert. After all these years, I finally feel a little less foolish. I have tried them a couple times in my adult life and found them absolutely delicious.

Anonymous said...

My mum used to sprinkle homemade blackberry vinegar over cold Yorkshire pudding and my son loves it cold spread with butter and jam. I follow that great Yorkshire chef Brian Turner's method---1 cup of all usual ingredients plus 1 tbs malt vinegar. Best cooked in dripping.They rise unbelievably high. Pollie

The Weaver of Grass said...

What interesting variations there are here. If we had that discussion room I sometimes talk about we could have a YP competition and judge the winner. Some of the 'sweet' ones sound good don't they?

Eleanor said...

Watched the programme about Josh Widdicombe last night (we had recorded it). What an amazing tale was told, almost unbelievable. Another one I really enjoyed a few years ago was Davina McCall.