The queen of puddings was apparently named such because a serving was once enjoyed by Queen Victoria. That is all well and good but she was also known to enjoy the odd bit of calf hoof jelly and flour soup; that doesn’t make it good.
This pudding has few ingredients and is easy to make. The resulting pudding has a slightly weepy bottom layer that even with the use of cake crumbs rather than breadcrumbs is very reminiscent of a sloppy bread and butter pudding. It is layered with raspberry jam and then soft baked meringue.
I am convinced that the ingredient amounts are ever so slightly out, 
and that the base required a little more cooking so it wasn’t weepy, but I think the pudding tasted the way it is meant to be. No one was really a fan of this pudding at my house. The bottom layer was just weird in texture and even though the flavour was “okay” it was next to impossible to get over the weird soft, mushy texture.
There is no point working on an improved recipe for this however because, as I have said, I am pretty sure the pudding was the way this pudding generally is.
If you are a fan of bread and butter puddings but like it really soft, then maybe you will like this queen of puddings. As for me I hope I never have to make it again. Although it looked pretty, this was not to my taste at all – ever. I hope the trauma of eating it will fade over time.
Another recipe which I was sceptical of was Waldorf salad. Mainly because I will eat celery but I don’t like it all that much.
History says that Waldorf salad was the invention of the Maître d’hôtel at the Waldorf hotel rather than a chef. He loved the idea of apples and mayonnaise together as apples were available all year around. Although it was met with mixed reviews, many patrons loved it and as a result it was added to many other hotel and restaurant menus and can still be found on them today. Critics believed the salad to be an abomination however, as the idea of sweets in a salad was the blow that would cause the end of the world as we know it. Critics – am I right?!
The salad itself is really easy to assemble and is perfect for warmer autumn and winter days. Of course it’s great any time of the year but you know what I mean 🙂
Just remember to leave yourself time to chill the salad before serving. It does make a huge difference. The recipe can also be adulterated with the addition of cubes of cheese, raisins or sultanas, pineapple and basically whatever you have around as the recipe is very forgiving. This salad is delicious. Even as someone with an unenthusiastic relationship with celery I found it absolutely yummy. It’s nice to have another salad to add to my arsenal. Do give it a try – I promise the world won’t end because you are adding sweet to a salad.
Until next time. Happy cooking! 🙂