once a yankee…

Winter had been odder than usual this year. Temperatures have jumped up or down 30 degrees or more in a 24-hour period, it had been wetter than “usual” (I’m not sure what “usual” is anymore…) and we’ve had day after day of cloudy grumpy-making weather.

Still, I guess I don’t mind too much. It has given me a chance to make some of my favorite “winter” foods – things I don’t often make here in too hot to turn the oven on central Texas.

One of these dishes, a dessert really, is what we call Indian Pudding. I have a feeling that these days we should change the name to something more politically correct, like Cornmeal Pudding, but how dull does that sound? Indian Pudding, made with what I’m told the early white invaders in the northeast called “Indian meal” (cornmeal) has, for me, a romantic je ne sais quoi, not unlike Prousts’s madelines. So there you have it. PI or not, the name stays.

I’ve tried various recipes for Indian Pudding and never been totally satisfied until about 10 years ago. I was spending time in Maine with friends. They took me to a restaurant in a nearby town. Can I remember the name of the restaurant or even the town? Nope… There I had my Indian Pudding or dreams, and I wheedled the recipe. here it is, verbatim:

Indian (or call it what you will) Pudding
3 cups milk
2/3 cup molasses
2/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeng
1/4 cup butter
1 cup milk

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 2 qt. casserole dish.

Heat 3 cups milk and molasses in saucepan. In separate bowl mix cornmeal, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually stir into the hot milk. Add butter.

it isn’t chocolate milk

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 10 min. until thickened. Pour into casserole. Pour 1 cup milk over pudding; do not stir.

smells divine!

Bake 3 hrs. Let sit to set before serving. If desired, serve with cream, ice cream, or whipped cream.
***
That’s it. Simple, filling, not too sweet, keeps fine in the fridge, reheats well, and in my world, it makes an excellent breakfast!

If it is still cold where you are, give it a try and let us know what you think! Mmmmmm…

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