Plum pudding is sure of its place of honour on the Christmas dinner table. Some English people could stuff with turkey and goose, but a Christmas dinner in Britain without a traditional Christmas pudding would be strange indeed!
The Christmas pudding is the old time plum porridge, beloved by English people in the Middle Ages. In those days it was made of beef or mutton broth thickened with brown bread, with prunes, raisins, currants, ginger and maize being added to the boiling mixture. This was served as a thick soup in a huge tureen and eaten at the beginning of the meal.
In the 18 century, plum pudding began to change its character with the addition of flour. Nowadays, in addition to the basic mixture of flour, bread-crumbs, and eggs, the ingredients of Christmas pudding include raisins, currants, candied peel, chopped almonds and walnuts, grated carrot and a good measure of brandy, whisky or old ale.
In many households the mixing of the pudding is quite a ceremony with all the members of the family taking turns to stir and make a whisk.
After being boiled for several hours, the pudding is stored until the time comes for heating it on Christmas Day when it is brought to the table on a large dish, big, round and dark- brown. The Christmas pudding is covered with white sauce burning in brandy.
Receiving each a slice, the guests are warned to eat carefully because sixpenny bits, shillings, a tiny silver bell and a silver horseshoe have been put in it. Those who find the 'treasure' are supposed to have money in the coming year, whoever gets the bell is to be married and the horse-shoe is the traditional sign of good luck.
Discussion:
1.What dish is usually associated with in UK?
2. What food was beloved by English people in the Middle Ages?
3. What is the method to cook Christmas pudding nowadays?
4. What ingredients are necessary for the Christmas pudding?
5. What little 'Surprises' can we find in a slice of Christmas pudding?
Supplementary exercises on the Subject “FOOD”
1. Continue:
Drinks: tea,…
Vegetables: carrot,…
Fruits: apples, …
Cold food: cheese, …
Hot food: fish,…
Divide these food products into 5 categories: vegetables, fruit, drinks, junk food, sweets
An apple, bananas, ice-cream, broccoli, a burger, carrots, coffee, chips, grapes, lettuce, olives, an onion, chocolate, an orange, orange juice, a peach, milk, a pear, pizza, a strawberry, tea, tomatoes, cake, peppers.
3. Find the odd words.
1) bacon, beef, turkey, pork, lamb
2)carrot, melon, onion, cabbage, lettuce
3) beer, lemonade, tea, sugar, coffee, mineral water, juice
4) grapes, apple, pear, plum, ice-cream
5) butter, milk, cheese, cream, oil, yoghurt.
Answer the questions.
1) How many meals a day do we have?
2) What do you usually have for breakfast?
3) Do you have your coffee black?
4) Where do you usually have lunch?
5) Do you like vegetables?
6) Who prepares meals in your family?
7) What meal can you cook?
8) What is your favourite dish?
9) What do you like to drink in summer?
10) Do you go to cafes and restaurants? How often?
5.Fill in the following crossword:
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Crossword “Food”:
Horizontal: 2. We eat it for the first course. 4. We get it from the milk. 6. It can be white or brown. 7. A dairy product. 10. It grows on the field. 11. A hen lays…. 13. Sweet ice dessert.
Vertical: 1. A drink. 2. We have it in our sandwich. 3. We eat oat…for breakfast. 5.Italian meal. 8. Vegetable or fruit. 9. We drink it in the morning. 12. Typical English breakfast: …and eggs.
Choose the right answer
1. Which of the following would a vegetarian eat?
a) lamb
b) cabbage
c) beef
d) pork
2. Waiter in a restaurant: "How would you like your steak sir?" Customer: " ___________ please"
a) rare
b) medium
c) well-done
d) all of the above answers
3. I love eating cakes, biscuits and chocolate - the problem is they are so __________
a) fatty
b) fat
c) fattening
d) all of the above answers
4. Mmm... that was absolutely _________!
a) tasty
b) delicious
c) good
d) all of the above answers
5. Li has __________; he loves cakes, chocolate, ice-cream - anything which is sweet.
a) a sweet mouth
b) sweet lips
c) a sweet tooth
d) a sweet tongue
6. Some people don't like curry from India or Thailand; they say it's too _____________ - but I love it!
a) hot and spicy
b) spicy and hot
c) sour and sweet
d)sweet and sour