In August this year my boyfriends grandfather passed away. He was a wonderful man who just 5 years ago had finished building his own octagonal house, the wood for which he milled himself, the pipes for which he ran. One look around his home, perched high above a little-used train track, and you got a feel for how resourceful he was. He had large chest freezers packed full with fruit and vegetables waiting to be pickled and preserved. His garage was bursting at the seams, boxes overflowing with parts for the old Rambler he was lovingly restoring. Whilst sorting through his belongings we even found a box containing more than 20 pairs of broken glasses, kept safe should he need to repair his own. What appeal most to me was his shower caddy, fixed to the wall just outside the shower. It was the door liner out of an F&P fridge which he had cut out and glued to the wall, complete with the dairy compartment and hinged lid where one could store the soap! I now know where my boyfriend gets his inventiveness and ability to think outside of the box!
Just days before he passed he shared with us his recipe for steamed pudding. I thought it would make wonderful base for Christmas pudding so with the addition of a splash of rum and bit more butter this recipe was born. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Merry Christmas!