Last week I talked about the bake kettle on the open hearth. This week I made a “Spotted Dick” boiled pudding on the cook stove. Our cabinet maker is from the Isle of Wight and he has been angling for one for a while. I looked it up and found that the name Spotted Dick was used by Alexis Soyer in his 1854 book “A Shilling Cookery Book for the People”. I am not sure when exactly the name was first used, but as long as it is before 1866, I am happy. The name dick refers to the dough, so the name means “spotted dough”, which is a pretty accurate description. If you look up modern recipes for Spotted Dick and the Newfoundland favourite, Figgy Duff, you end up finding exactly the same recipe for both within the top few hits. In this case, duff is the synonym of dough, and raisins are the poor mans figs, apparently. Soyer suggested serving it with butter and sugar, but I went for custard. It is the more common accompaniment today. I also substituted raisins for currants, mainly because we had them on hand. I just used a pudding bowl instead of a mould. A gill equals 1/2 cup.

At Upper Canada Village, we have a Forest Beauty wood fired cook stove made by the Findlay Stove Company of Carleton Place, Ontario. It is a mid 1880’s stove, a little younger than the time period of the village, but it was donated after being in constant use since the 1880’s with the stipulation that it had to continue to be used. It is a lovely stove, and I am getting better at using it over time. I think I mentioned this is my third season as a historic cook, so I am starting to settle in.

Custard Recipe:

2 cups milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 beaten egg yolks
2tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine milk, cornstarch, salt and sugar. Heat to bubbly. Temper in the egg yolks (i.e. take out a cup of the boiling mixture and add it slowly to the egg yolks to warm them up before putting them in or they will cook instantly when they hit the boiling mixture). Bring the mixture back to JUST boiling and stir in the butter and vanilla. Leave a top on the pot and stir it occasionally as it cools down to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or cold.