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Archiver > CoTyroneIreland > 2002-12 > 1040437834


From: "Betsy Harper" <>
Subject: Re: [CoTyrone] Christmas past- Pudding????
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 12:31:59 +1000
References: <002901c2a634$429b9d40$2d6a5318@vf.shawcable.net> <003901c2a6ac$ea568680$539e6718@D48T6111> <009501c2a726$291a9900$c3c9fea9@computerone> <007701c2a85d$13e82100$d462cecd@cadvision.com>


Our washing was done in a zinc bath set on 2 chairs[facing each other]No
pump for me - all carried in galvinised buckets from the well [they weighed
about 7 lbs before you filled them water!!]You used the soapy water
afterwards to scrub the stone flagged kitchen floor,and the rinsing water to
rinse it off.I don't think Irish women BELIEVED in measurements as such!To
this day I use "gopins"[thats your 2 hands cupped tog,full] "handfuls"
"smidgens" and " wee tracks"[that's Irish for "trace"]of things like spices
and salt etc.My grandson is convinced I speak a foreign language!Betsy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry McCool" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 5:22 AM
Subject: Re: [CoTyrone] Christmas past- Pudding????


> Betsy:
> My Dad always said about our place on the farm ( pre WWII) "Sure we've got
> running water, you run it in and then you run it out."
> Wash day was NOT looked forward to, as the well was a drilled well 231
feet
> deep and quite often the wind refused to blow. That meant pumping all of
the
> water by hand, and you can visualize the weight of that length of pump rod
> and the strength that was required to lift that column of water. After the
> wash was done the dirty, soapy water had to be carried in buckets out to
the
> "pig yard" where it was dumped for the pigs to wallow in it. Buckets were
> either 14 quart milk pails or recycled oil pails, I believe they were 10
> gallon size.
> Back to the pudding, ours was nearly always made by my paternal
grandmother
> and the recipe was not handed down. The reason for this was that the
> measurements were in non standard amounts. i.e. two handsfull of flour,
> butter the size of an egg, a pinch of salt, scoop(s) of sugar, a drip of
> honey, and dried fruits and nuts to suit, a splash of rum and whole milk.
>
> AH -- Them were the days
>
> Larry
>
>
> Larry & Doreen McCool
> Calgary, AB Canada
> Our new address is
>
> Our website is now at
> http://www3.telus.net/public/mccoollh/index.html
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Betsy Harper" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 11:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [CoTyrone] Christmas past- Pudding????
>
>
> > Hi Roy we had no running water either - every drop was caried from the
> well
> > in hail, rain, or snow. No electricity either -only oil lamps.It was a
> real
> > highlight [pun intended] when we got a pressurised lamp!! I tell my
> > grandchildren about these things,and the "crooks" over the open fire and
> > "oven pots" and so on and they think I'm making it up!! Betsy Harper
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Roy" <>
> > To: <>
> > Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2002 1:48 AM
> > Subject: Re: [CoTyrone] Christmas past- Pudding????
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Hi Teena,
> > >
> > > The hanging of the pudding on a door brings back memories of my days
as
> a
> > > youngster on our farm in Ballinderry.
> > >
> > > My grandmother made the pudding by steaming it in a large cast iron
pot
> > over
> > > the open fire. It was usually wrapped in linen. After hours of
> steaming
> > it
> > > was put on a hob near the fireplace to dry. Then it was hung on a
> > harness
> > > hook on the back of the kitchen door, still in the linen cover.
> > >
> > > I can only assume the generous amount of Hennessey's brandy used in
the
> > > recipe helped to preserve it.
> > >
> > > At Christmas it was taken down, re-warmed, sliced and served with a
> heated
> > > sauce.
> > >
> > > Along with the goose this was a looked forward to highlight of our
> > Christmas
> > > dinner.
> > >
> > > I vaguely recall it being referred to as plum pudding but I do not
think
> > > plums were ever included in the recipe.
> > >
> > > Our farm did not have electricity or running water and everything was
> > baked
> > > or cooked in pots hung on an arm that could be swung in and out over
the
> > > large open fireplace.
> > >
> > > My grandchildren and great grandchildren still find this hard to
> believe.
> > >
> > > Roy
> > >
> > > Mississauga - Canada
> > >
> > > > Hi Betsey,
> > > >
> > > > I must be daft........huh??? Pudding hanging on a back
door,
> > > > in what??? Horseshoes?
> > > > How thick was this pudding- and who ate it afterwards??? <BG>
> > > >
> > > > Would love a more detailed explanation of what this might be???
> > > >
> > > > Cheers~ Teena
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ==== CoTyroneIreland Mailing List ====
> > > To Find a location -
> > > http://www.seanruad.com
> > >
> >
> >
> > ==== CoTyroneIreland Mailing List ====
> > ~A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart
> > and sings it back to you when you've forgotten the words.~
> >
> >
>
>
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