What Is Figgy Pudding
You’ve heard the tune. It might begin by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, But then the demands start. “Oh we need some figgy pudding!” …” along with the ferocious phrase, “We won’t go until we have the figgy pudding.” However, do you really even know the meaning of the figgy pudding is? What is the reason people sing songs about it in the first place?
Figgy is “containing figs,” and pudding is described by definition as “a thick, soft dessert, typically containing flour or some other thickener, milk, eggs, a flavoring, and sweetener,” figgy pudding isn’t an easy combination of these ingredients. Sometimes, it doesn’t even have figs, but there’s nothing pudding-like about it.
A new form of figgy pudding
Based on the Taste of Home, figgy pudding is a popular dessert that dates back to 1500s Britain. It was also known as “plum pudding” however you know what? There weren’t plums inside either. Plum is actually the name used to describe any kind of dried fruit. There were some mixed in.
Figgy pudding was originally not an item of dessert, but an savory dish. It was made from beef and Mutton as well as prunes, raisins as well as wine and spices. In some cases, people added grains to it, transforming it into a porridge-like food it was referred to as frimenty. It changed through a variety of variations through the years, and at one point, it was stuffed into the stomachs of animals and their intestines, similar to sausages. Yum? Then, the plums became readily available, which led to the food taking on a sweet twist, evolving to a sweet.
In terms of why it became the topic of a song, it’s believed to originate from a tradition where wealthy people handed out sweets to the Christmas carolers.
What was the reason for Figgy Pudding outlawed?
It’s been discovered the fact that Oliver Cromwell (who ruled Britain during the 1600s) as well as other Puritans did not like eating the Christian dessert. It wasn’t just that the figgy dessert usually served during Christmas however, its original recipe (according to some, although not disputed by other) contained 13 ingredients – one for Jesus and 12 ingredients for Jesus’ his disciples. Then, in 1647 Cromwell was able to ban the desert, and the singing of carols as well as other Christmas customs. These customs were considered morally wrong, as they distorted the original essence of a holiday which, as he saw as a time to be spent in contemplation.
It was a blessing that, 50 years after in the year 50, King George I was able to save Figgy Pudding–earning the title “pudding king” in the process. The dessert was then again permitted.
The process of making this delicious treat was not an easy job. The 1800s were the time when the process required about a month before it reached its best form. Families would gather during “Stir-Up Sunday” (the Sunday prior to when Advent started) to begin the process. Everyone in the family was able to stir the mix to ensure that it would bring good luck throughout the next year.
Figgy pudding today
It’s funny that throughout the decades, figs weren’t ever used in the recipe. It’s probably the reason why this dish is also known under a variety of other names like plumb porridge, Christmas pudding and steam-cooked pudding. No matter what it’s called, folks continue to enjoy it even today. In Britain specifically, figgy pudding remains a staple of Christmas.
Figgy pudding of today Figgy Pudding of the present is more of a fruitcake than a fruitcake as opposed to pudding; however, it’s made of sugar, flour spices, and fruits. Many recipes are available, with some of them containing liquor or figs, and others do not. Some people mix it with booze and then light the flame.
