The Smiths live here. The children are at school and Mrs Smith is preparing tea. The cold, early evenings of December are the natural habitat of that traditional English dish, the Steamed Pudding. The ancestor of these dishes was the medieval 'pottage' - a kind of porridge of cereal, honey and wild fruits, all mixed with some meat or fish. In Tudor times a meatless pudding of breadcrumbs, rice or oatmeal was developed, mixed with milk, cream, eggs, spices, dried fruit… Yes, Advent is, like Lent, meant to be a time of abstinence and reflection but perhaps on Sunday you could indulge yourself with one of the most luxurious of all steamed puddings (especially if you use fairly traded and organic ingredients!) For the KENTISH WELL PUDDING recipe, click here...