Boxing Day
While in the States it may conjure up images of heavyweights and black eyes, Boxing Day is actually a public holiday celebrated in several countries including Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom (pretty much everywhere they speak English, except here). The celebration takes place the day after Christmas, Dec. 26, and dates back to the Middle Ages. Historically, a "Christmas box" would be filled with money as a gift for employees.
Andrew Ravenscroft, a Londoner who now lives in Madison, recalls Boxing Day as a time to get together with family, watch a little football (soccer) and head to the local pub. "Usually we'd gather for the game at my grandmother's house, attend the game at Fulham football ground in London, and then the grownups would go to the pub for a few drinks while my grandmother, some of the aunts and the kids would be home putting out the food."
Food generally involved leftovers from the day before, and Ravenscroft says a time-honored staple would be leftover Christmas pudding. "We make it on the Saturday night closest to Guy Fawkes Day (Nov. 5), with a tradition of having our kids stir the pudding ingredients. It then sits overnight and is steamed for eight hours on Sunday before being put in a cool, dark place until Christmas."
Colonial Christmas Pudding
This recipe makes one large pudding and serves 8-10. "It's traditional to put tokens in the pudding; finding one is considered good luck," says Ravenscroft. "When I grew up they were sixpences, or half crowns if you were lucky."
4 ounces dried cherries
4 ounces dried cranberries
10 ounces raisins
4 ounces shredded suet
2 ounces self-raising flour, sifted
4 ounces white breadcrumbs
1/4 level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
a good pinch ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice ("The mixed spice is a combo that can't be found in the U.S.; I use generic apple pie spice.")
8 ounces soft dark brown sugar
1 ounce mixed candied peel, finely chopped
1 ounce almonds, skinned and chopped
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
grated zest 1/2 large orange
Grated zest 1/2 large lemon
2 tablespoons dark rum
2-1/2 full ounces barley wine ("I get barley wine, when available, from Steve's or Woodman's here in Madison")
2-1/2 full ounces stout
2 large eggs
Begin the day before you want to make the pudding. In a mixing bowl put in the suet, sifted flour and breadcrumbs, spices and sugar. Mix these ingredients very thoroughly together, then gradually mix in all the dried fruit, mixed peel and nuts, followed by the apple and grated orange and lemon zest.
In a separate bowl beat together the rum, barley wine and stout, then add eggs. Pour this over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. "It should have a fairly sloppy consistency - that is, it should drop off the spoon if you hit it on the side of the bowl. If you think it needs a bit more liquid, add a spot more stout. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave overnight. Be sure to drink any leftover rum, barley wine and stout."
The next day, pack the mixture into a lightly greased 2-pint (1/2-liter) ovenproof bowl, cover it with a double sheet of baking parchment and a sheet of foil, then tie it securely with string. Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for eight hours.
Keep an eye on the water underneath and top it with boiling water when necessary. Let the pudding cool. Remove the paper and foil and replace with new sheets. Store the pudding in a cool place away from the light until ready to cook again for serving. "If you make it more than eight weeks ahead of Christmas," says Ravenscroft, "feed it once a month with brandy. Just pour in as much brandy as it will absorb. Theoretically, these puddings live forever given proper feeding, but I wouldn't recommend more than 16 months."
To cook, fill a saucepan with boiling water, place on high heat, and return to boiling. Place a steamer on top of the pan and turn it down to a gentle simmer. Put the Christmas pudding in the steamer, cover and leave to steam away for 2-1/4 hours. Again, check water levels and top off with boiling water as necessary.
To serve, remove the pudding from the steamer and take off the wrapping. Slide a knife around pudding, then turn it onto a plate.
For presentation, "Place a sprig of holly on top. Now warm some brandy in a saucepan until it is steaming, then pour it liberally over the pudding and set it alight. Carry it in to the dining room and watch it flame to the cheers of the assembled company. We sing the traditional 'Bring us a Figgy Pudding' song. When both flames and cheers have died down, serve the pudding with rum sauce, or rum or brandy butter," says Ravenscroft.
