Monday, 22 September 2008

First Day of Autumn

And so all gone are the flimsy frocks of summer and in come the sensible woollies and sturdy boots for the gold and brown months.
I've always loved Autumn and Winter, because being a serious woman and bit of a hermit I tend to feel more at one with the darker days and take, in a curious and strange way, little bits of comfort from bouts of bad weather.
Some may say grotty weather enables me to hide away in layer upon layer of wool and leather and they may well be right, I suppose it's my reclusive nature.
I always wear a big coat and small hat when it gets a bit chilly and there's nothing nicer or more feminine than a short lady well buttoned up and wearing a silly hat in a jaunty manner.
I have to admit though I can look a bit of a plank.

Food.
I love cooking casserole after casserole, often dropping in various root veg which have no right to be there, but in my mind will add to the umptuousness of the rich sticky beefy/ lamby/chickeny thing I'm making.
And as for puddings, oh Perleeezzzze!......My life is defined by them.
I am a Pudding Queen.
Autumn and winter wouldn't be autumn and winter without a thick girthed lot of chocolate, syrup, lemon or jammy puds all lining up waiting and aching to be covered by pints of dripping steaming tongue bursting custard.
I worship Puddings.
In fact I'd get on my knees to a Spotted Dick.

Imaging if you will, 5 foot me, blade in hand, digging around and down the sides of a hot basin, and then ever so gently easing a big plump brown baby pud onto an eager plate, it is, quite simply, the most perfect sensation. I feel quite aroused just thinking about it. Of course one doesn't have to cover it with custard, one could drop a mound of whipped cream on top and then gaze open-mouthed as the slippery thick white stuff rolls down the sides and into the creases and cracks of the beauty which is begging to be eaten.
Er...where was I? Oh yes something about Autumn and how much I love it....
I do, very much.

So here I sit in my red polo neck woolly and white jeans looking out into the garden at summer's remnants, patches of brown and green grass, the lilac flowers of the Rosemary bush have come and gone leaving masses of spiky green leaves waiting to be stuck into a nice leg of lamb.
And the yellow roses, oh yes the yellow roses, they made me feel lots of things, mostly love, but they've disappeared now, and that is how it should be. But I'm going to miss their scent as I drive in and out and I'll miss their shudder as my lawnmower brushes up against them making a petal or two fall.
Sorry rose.

But mostly I'm going to miss them as I look up from my computer screen day after day because as I look out into my little garden, they won't be there any more.
The garden is going to sleep, and I won't disturb it by pottering about, I'll let it rest.
Because today is the first day of Autumn.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just dying to know what exactly is "spotted dick"?

Love the fall, but winter is not far behind and unlike you, I cannot stand the cold like I used to. It goes right through me, but snuggled up in the house while a pot of something is cooking, is a wonderful way to spend the season.

Your D

Gloria Horsehound said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN!

Spotted Dick is an old old recipe, possibly going back to the Regency period. It's about 200 years old. It's simply a mixture of flour, dried fruits (currants, raisins, sultanas, any or all of them) white sugar, a touch of mixed spice, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, milk and SUET!. (Although suet isn't absolutely essential, you could use margarine but it wouldn't be authentic). There are many variations of this recipe...Anyway all this stuff is mixed together and either plopped into a basin or patted out and then rolled into an oblong shape and then steamed.

It is always served with proper custard, which is made with eggs and milk not custard powder. I was brought up on this 'afters' as a kid, when my parents took me into a cafe I always wanted the Spotted Dick rather than anything else. The thought of having a jelly made me sulk:(

And now because of the invention of the Microwave Oven we pudding lovers can have our fav pud in a matter of minutes rather than hours, but don't tell anyone!.Some people think that unless the kitchen is steamed up from boiling saucepans it just isn't the same. I agree and disagree!
I have a blue and white striped 'chef ware' pudding basin which I use when I make a pud.And it looks fab.

A bit of history...This pud was a favourite of 'Captain Jack Aubrey' from the books by Patrick O'Brian, (he wrote Master and Commander). No wonder he looked so gorgeous if this is what he ate all the time:)
Will gladly send the recipe if you so desire Duchess.


Your Queen

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the birthday wishes. I drank a bunch of beer, had some friends over for dinner the Duke made for me and watched American football til I passed out at 9:30. I'm a lightweight anymore.

Thank you for the very in depth description of spotted dick. It sounds yummy. Yes, please send the recipe.

Work is calling.....
D