Pease Pudding

 

 

Pease pudding is a peculiarly British dish, on account of the long-standing perference in Britain for pease over other pulses. It began its career in remote antiquity as pease pottage, a thick porridge made from the dried mealy pease that were a staple food; this was the most usual way of preparing them. Pease pottage and, when available, bacon went together in the diet .  At the beginning of the 17th century the introduction of the pudding cloth allowed pease pudding, a more solid product, to be made. The ingredients consisted only of pease (previouly soaked, if dried pease are used),  flavouring: sugar and pepper, and sometimes mint, were commonly used. The ingredients were mixed and simply cooked in a pudding cloth perhaps alongside a piece of bacon, and for which the pudding would be a  filling accompaniement.