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Fannish Fifty 5: Indian Pudding
Jan. 27th, 2023 10:37 pmHow on earth can I turn a post on a dessert into a Fannish Fifty post?
Wait for it.
But first, to the pudding itself. It's called Indian pudding, and the story goes that it's a New England recipe inspired by the British hasty pudding, which, according to this recipe, is made with plain flour. Early in New England's history, there was easier access to corn meal to use in place of the flour apparently from Native Americans, thus the name of the pudding. That's the tale that's told anyway on nearly every article I've read. I have no idea of the veracity of that story. But it's a delicious comfort food all the same with cheap ingredients that include a base of cornmeal, milk, spices, molasses, and sugar. I first learned about the history of it at New England Today (companion recipe here). I think I used the recipe from a reprint of a retro Betty Crocker cookbook. It's cooked on a low heat over an hour and a half. It's tasty, especially in the winter, with either custard, whipped cream, or ice cream (my favorite).
It's early American history that brings me to the fannish part of this post. The merchant Jas. Townsend & Son, Inc. service the living history community as well as museums and the entertainment industry in recreating the "18th century lifestyle." In addition to their shop, they have an excellent YouTube channel with videos that range from recipes to building construction. In this one, a recipe is used from the 1796 cookbook American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. Jon, the host and cook, clearly loves his job in all the videos I've seen.
Wait for it.
But first, to the pudding itself. It's called Indian pudding, and the story goes that it's a New England recipe inspired by the British hasty pudding, which, according to this recipe, is made with plain flour. Early in New England's history, there was easier access to corn meal to use in place of the flour apparently from Native Americans, thus the name of the pudding. That's the tale that's told anyway on nearly every article I've read. I have no idea of the veracity of that story. But it's a delicious comfort food all the same with cheap ingredients that include a base of cornmeal, milk, spices, molasses, and sugar. I first learned about the history of it at New England Today (companion recipe here). I think I used the recipe from a reprint of a retro Betty Crocker cookbook. It's cooked on a low heat over an hour and a half. It's tasty, especially in the winter, with either custard, whipped cream, or ice cream (my favorite).
It's early American history that brings me to the fannish part of this post. The merchant Jas. Townsend & Son, Inc. service the living history community as well as museums and the entertainment industry in recreating the "18th century lifestyle." In addition to their shop, they have an excellent YouTube channel with videos that range from recipes to building construction. In this one, a recipe is used from the 1796 cookbook American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. Jon, the host and cook, clearly loves his job in all the videos I've seen.
