[xMenace]

We stumbled across a British foods section, at least that's what I think it is, today at our City Market. A lot of it was recognizable, but this stuff wasn't. We had to investigate it. WTH is it anyway? A website I found describes it as boiled suet pudding. How do you eat it? 56g of carbs per 100g seems hefty.

The stuff that you can't quite make out in pic#2 is called "Mushy." Is it edible?

[Jan B]

I just know that I would leave that isle of food immediately!

[Tonysmum]

Heaven
You would eat spotted dick warmed up and with custard (the "Birds" next to it) as a dessert, and I don't doubt the carbs for a second, it's very heavy stuff. More of a cake like consistency with raisins or currants in it, rather than the soft puddings that americans know
The "Mushy" probably has "peas" somewhere on the label. These are peas that have been processed from dried peas, and boiled so that the consistency is almost like refried beans, but with some recogniseable peas still in there. They are savoury and to be eaten with pork pies and the like.

Buy some and enjoy!

[RobiJo]

Originally Posted by Jan B

I just know that I would leave that isle of food immediately!

I'm going with you!!!

[fgummett]

Mmmm Mushy peas... you can get them at the better fish and chip shops... some even sell deep-fried Mars bars


As for Spotted Dick and Custard...



... and to think people poke fun at British Cuisine

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Just remember that if you do try any of these European delicacies NOT to subtract the Fibre from the Carbs... the European Nutrition label already has the Fibre subtracted from the Carbs... enjoy!

[Alice]

Bleh...I'm beginning to understand why the pilgrams set sail for America...(just kidding to all my Brit friends!)...

In response, what foods in US seems odd or come with funny names?

[soso]

You are Oh so wrong!
Boiled suet puddings are delectable food of the gods!
I prefer treacle pud to spotted dick (raisins) and I would make my own custard from scratch.... It's just like jam roly poly....
And if that's not enough carbs for me I could go a bit of bread and butter pudding too.... mmmmmm

Mushy peas are best and traditionally eaten with fish and chips... Not quite sure why they are such a lurid green nowadays.. they were a sort of snotty mud colour when I was a kid...which in no way diminished my enjoyment of them...

[Alice]

Are "mushy peas" similar to our "refried beans"...which is a Mexican or Tex-Mex (americanized) food?

[adiantum]

Mushy peas are wonderful when on top of a meat pie

* sigh * those days of really high carb are gone forever for me

[HelenM]

Spotted Dick

285g (10oz) Self-Raising Flour
150g (5oz) Shredded Suet
150ml (¼ pint) Milk
110-160g (4-6oz) Currants or Raisins
85g (3oz) Castor Sugar
1 Lemon, zest only, finely grated
Pinch Salt

Mix all of the dry ingredients, including the grated lemon zest, together thoroughly
Add enough milk to produce a soft dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface.
Roll out the mixture to produce a roll approximately 15cm (6 in) long and 5cm (2 in) in diameter.
Prepare either a tea towel lightly dusted with flour, or sheet of kitchen foil or a double thickness of greaseproof paper, brushed with melted butter.
Wrap loosely but securely, leaving enough space for it to rise.
Tie or seal the ends.
Place in the steamer and cover tightly.
Steam for 1½ to 2 hours.
Serve cut into thck slices with hot custard.

High fat, high carbs and not eaten very often now. It used to be a once a week pudding on many school dinner menus.

[Gary_W]

Steamed suet puddings were a staple of my childhood; you would regularly get either suet pudding to have with the main meal (with lots of gravy of course) and on other days you would get either spotted dick or steamed apple pudding. The latter is bramley apples in the bottom of a pudding bowl topped with suet pudding. Again, eaten with custard and is a high-carb wonder. Light, summer food it is not.

My folks still eat this kind of thing no matter what the weather; they are from that generation. Most Brits now are incredibly adventurous about food and will happily steal ideas from all over the world. I really like this. Take an average Italian person, and you will find they won't gladly try something that is made outside their local area, let alone gladly eat Thai. Over the weekend, my daughter helped me make sushi rolls, we cooked Indian dhals and koftas, went out for Dim Sum and also knocked up some Pasta. Oh, and I did Jambalaya the other night. Yes, we also go the trad English route at times but most modern Brits have almost distanced themselves from the old recipes in favour of borrowing influences from elsewhere. It's a shame in some ways as the best of British food is very good indeed. Most other European nations are fiercely proud of their national dishes and will still eat them in preference to 'foreign' food. Brits aren't like that these days, though there are still a few. Thanks to Helen for the recipe

The naming is a little dicey; spotted dick over here means the same thing it does over there. 'My wife gave me a lovely spotted dick last night' is not something you want to tell the folks at the office, though with British humour such statements are enjoyed in a 1970's 'carry on' film kind of way. People also refer to cigarettes as 'fags'. Telling someone you are going to 'smoke a fag' might get one arrested in the 'hood', but is a perfectly acceptable statement in the UK. Also in the US, your 'fanny' is your rump. The first time I heard that someone was wearing a 'fanny bag' I nearly wet myself as it's something rather different over here....

IIRC, one of the supermarket chains went politically correct a few years ago and re-branded the dish in question as 'Spotted Richard'. One National outcry later which involved old ladies barricading the aisles with shopping trolleys and the name was changed back.

Gary

[alicat61]

Hi,
Yum Spotted Dick my mother used to make this as well as jam rolly poly,Thanks for the recipe HelenM .My favourite is quince dumplings Boil a pan of quinces until cooked add brown sugar to sweeten then make a dumpling out of flour suet mix and milk. Place spoon fulls on top of quinces and boil until dumplings are cooked. Serve with custard or icecream. Extra insulin needed +++ Just what you need on a really cold day to warm you up.
As for the mushy peas I've never really tried those but must one day

[caswellhb]

Just try everything in that aisle. Mushy peas are wonderful with a little vinegar and pepper and spotted dick.........omg, so lovely with custard. I shout it's praises. Bolus like a lunatic and dig in.

Heather.

[fgummett]

Hmmm... someone asked about food this side of the pond..?

Well quite apart from the gargantuan portion sizes

First off, there is the French-Canadian delicacy called "Poutine"... chips/fries covered in cheese-curds and then covered in gravy AKA heart-attack on a plate



And the one that surprised me the most when I landed on these fair shores was the "hot chicken sandwich"... you might be thinking toasted bread with chicken..? No... its actually un-toasted white bread, with pre-cooked and shredded chicken pieces on top and then (again) covered in gravy. A sandwich you eat with a fork



You know what..? I bet mushy peas would be great with either of these

[davef]

Originally Posted by Alice

Are "mushy peas" similar to our "refried beans"...which is a Mexican or Tex-Mex (americanized) food?

Nope, it's like apples and oranges.

I love mushy peas , especially with fish and chips (fries). Although Marrowfat peas that must be soaked overnight, would have been more popular in Ireland.

I also love refried beans, although my Daughter who won't try them (unusual for her) because of the look alone, can't understand why I put something that looks like canned dog food on my plate!