So, you've been hanging out in anticipation long enough, wondering what on earth is this wonderous Pudding Club that I spoke of in the previous post. Well, let your salivating commence!
The Pudding Club is one of those random British institutions that you are never going to find anywhere else (although I might just set up an Icecream Club when I get home) and you just absolutely have to experience while here. In 1985, a group of friends were looking at the choices on the dessert menu and bemoaning the loss of traditional British puddings like 'Spotted Dick', and 'Jam Roly Poly', not to mention the illustrious family of puddings that are the crumbles. So, they started a tradition of getting together each Friday night and trying out a set of puddings (served, of course, with lashings of custard). One thing led to another and now about 50 people go each week, paying £30 for the privilege of a small main course and then seven, yes that's right, SEVEN helpings of pudding. You're not allowed to try a new pudding until you've eaten your last helping - and that's no easy task I can assure you when you're looking down the barrel of pudding #5...
The Pudding Club is one of those random British institutions that you are never going to find anywhere else (although I might just set up an Icecream Club when I get home) and you just absolutely have to experience while here. In 1985, a group of friends were looking at the choices on the dessert menu and bemoaning the loss of traditional British puddings like 'Spotted Dick', and 'Jam Roly Poly', not to mention the illustrious family of puddings that are the crumbles. So, they started a tradition of getting together each Friday night and trying out a set of puddings (served, of course, with lashings of custard). One thing led to another and now about 50 people go each week, paying £30 for the privilege of a small main course and then seven, yes that's right, SEVEN helpings of pudding. You're not allowed to try a new pudding until you've eaten your last helping - and that's no easy task I can assure you when you're looking down the barrel of pudding #5...
But, we made it through! Jeff and I (congratulations to Jeff also for organising this whole thing) made it through all seven of our puddings, while Sara managed a very honourable five helpings. My favourite of the night (and the crowd favourite also) was the rhubarb crumble, with the sticky toffee coming in at second place. Spotted Dick was stodgy and the idea that it was made with 'suet' just kind of didn't work - I don't even really want to know what suet is, it just sounds a little too odd for my liking... Lord Randall's (marmaladey) was quite yum, as was the Squidgy Chocolate (how could it not be with a name like that), but I'd definitely be keen to go back during the summer when they add four summer-weight puddings to the repertoire, such as Gooseberry Fool! Mmmmm...
Check out the rest of the photos here.
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