RobtE quoted:

> The earliest published summer pudding recipe appears to be in a book
> unassumingly titled Sweets No. 6, published in 1902 and written by S.
> Beaty-Pownall, departmental editor of Housewife and Cuisine at 'Queen
> Newspaper'. However, into her plain china mould or basin lined with bread
> 'as for apple charlotte', the esteemed departmental editor pours hot
> stewed fruit. Although the fruit in today's summer pudding may be warmed
> until the juices run, the whole point of the pudding is a filling of
> unstewed berries in their juicy prime.
>
> Somewhere along the line, we appear to have invented a romantic history
> for this, one of our favourite puddings. The ruthless truth is exposed by
> John Ayton in The Diner's Dictionary where he says "The name 'summer
> pudding' was coined in the 1930s".


In case you didn't notice, those two paragraphs contradict each other. The
first one cites a text containing the phrase "summer pudding" which was
printed in 1902. The second one claims that the NAME "summer pudding" was
coined in the 1930's. Clearly, if there's SOMETHING being called "summer
pudding" in 1902, then the name was coined at that time or earlier.

Regarding the jaundiced eye turned toward raw fruit during the late 1800's,
allow me to point out that the entirety of the passage you quoted is mere
hand-waving and conjecture. (Note the careful use of the phrases, "many
people of the older generation" and "hardly likely.")

But that's really beside the point: MAYBE the common meaning of the term
changed (and maybe it didn't), but by the reference YOU provided, the term
"summer pudding" has been around since 1902 or earlier. Regarding Di's
claim that the recipe (with raw fruit) has been in her family for "well over
100 years," I see no reason to doubt. I have no great emotional stake in the
history of summer pudding in any case. Arguments about recipe authenticity
and verifiable food history bore me.

Then again, there are those people who argue that the universe was created
five minutes ago, complete with false memories...

Bob