A HARTE APPETITE: SUMMER PUDDING: TWO BEAUTIFUL WORDS

Perhaps Henry James was right when he told Edith Wharton that the two most beautiful words in the English language are summer afternoon. But I would be more inclined to agree with him had he instead said "summer pudding." And so would the Rev. Judy Breiner.

The Rev. Judy is the director and campus minister for the Wesley Foundation at Southeast Missouri State University. She became something of an Anglophile, at least where food is concerned, during a year spent in Great Britain in 1995. In today's column she shares her recipe for one of her very favorite British concoctions, summer pudding.

Summer pudding is a classic English dessert invented in the 18th century as an alternative to rich pastries, though if served with clotted cream as the British invariably do, it can be just as bad for you. (Otherwise it's practically fat free.) It's not really a pudding at all as we think of the term. (The word pudding is roughly synonymous with dessert in the UK.) Rather, it's a beautiful melange of fresh berries encased in a bread- or cake-lined dish, though as Judy points out, bread is the only option if you want to be authentic.

The secret to the dish, says Judy, is that the bread absorbs the fruit juices resulting in a compressed mass, which is gorgeous when unmolded. Red currants, she notes, are a classic ingredient, though any combination of berries will work. Judy warns that while frozen berries can be used, they can't quite match the taste of the fresh summer ones for which the dessert is named. One taste of summer pudding and you'll be happy that "one swallow maketh not summer." You'll want several.

Summer Pudding

Judy's recipe is from a Jane Garmey cookbook that converts British recipes to American measurements. She uses an ordinary glass bowl as her mold and a heavy can of vegetables as a weight. She uses a little less sugar than the recipe calls for. I recommend lining the dish with plastic wrap for easier unmolding.

Ingredients:

2 pounds mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, red currants etc.)

1 cup sugar

8-10 slices white bread, crusts removed

Directions:

Place washed fruit in saucepan with sugar. Cook over low heat stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Line bottom and sides of greased 7-cup bowl with bread, trimming slices to fit together exactly. Pour fruit mixture into bowl and cover completely with remaining bread. Cover bowl with a plate that fits inside the rim, put a heavy weight on top, and refrigerate overnight. Carefully unmold. Slice into 6 servings.

High-Summer Pudding

This recipe, from Eating Well magazine, is unique in that it uses plums and peaches as well as berries. The gelatin ensures that the dessert won't collapse.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail

2 1/2 tablespoons blackberry brandy, kirsch, or orange juice

1 envelope plus 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

1 pound red or black plums, pitted and chopped

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped

2 1/2 cups blackberries or raspberries

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

14-15 thin slices homemade-style white bread, crust removed

Directions:

Line 2-quart bowl with plastic wrap letting one inch hang over sides. Mix juice and brandy, sprinkle gelatin over surface, and let stand five minutes until softened. Combine plums, sugar, and gelatin mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring 3-4 minutes until gelatin dissolves. Reduce heat to low, simmer 7 minutes, add peaches and simmer 5 minutes more, until peaches are almost tender. Stir in berries, zest, and cinnamon and simmer 3-4 minutes until berries begin to release juice. Refrigerate. Line bowl with bread and prepare as directed above. Refrigerate at least 8 hours before unmolding.

"Clotted Cream"

In England summer pudding is often served with clotted cream. As a substitute beat 3/4 cup whipping cream and 1/4 cup sour cream to soft peaks.

Got a recipe you'd like to share with our readers? Are you looking for a recipe for something in particular? Send your recipes and requests to The Harte Appetite, c/o Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO., 63702-0699.

~Tom Harte is a professor at Southeast Missouri State University and writes a food column every other week for the Southeast Missourian.