The Philosophy of Puddings

Pudding, in British usage, can mean just about any dessert—or even something savory, like a haggis or a Yorkshire pud. But in this thoughtful and sometimes playful volume, Neil Buttery narrows the focus, returning to the boiled cloth pudding as both technique and metaphor.

Tracing its roots from medieval meat preparations to festive plum puddings and school-dinner classics, Buttery explores the history of the pudding not only as a dish, but as a marker of British cultural identity. He writes with authority shaped by hands-on experience—through his “Pud Club,” he’s cooked dozens of historical recipes—and with an eye toward how food traditions shape national stories.

A standout chapter on pudding and national identity anchors the book, offering insight into how this humble-seeming food carries cultural weight. American readers may find the boiled-cloth method unfamiliar—Buttery himself suggests it's essential to true understanding—but for anyone interested in the history of British foodways, this is a sharp, engaging introduction.

Hardcover.