Favorite Junk: Traditional British Pudding Bowls

Favorite Junk: Pudding Bowls

Of the many things I've come to love since moving to England, one that has become almost an obsession, is my collection of pudding bowls.  Pudding in the U.K. is used to mean any dessert, not just the typical American Jello-O pudding, but specifically pudding bowls, sometimes called pudding basins, were traditionally used for steaming various cake-type desserts, like a traditional English Christmas pudding.  The batter was poured into the bowl, wrapped and steamed instead of baking.

A ginger syrup steamed pudding

I picked up a couple originally at a boot sale for a few pounds each and since then it's become almost a problem.  I have eight of them so far...I love the elegant, clean lines as well as their usefulness, stackability and practicality.  There are slight variations in shape and ornamentation depending on the makers, but they all serve the same purpose.

There are a number of traditional makers of pudding bowls, two best known being T.G. Green and Mason Cash.  While you can get modern ones....and in my collection are a number of each, the largest one in particular being a Mason Cash....I do prefer the ones that show a little aging and quirkiness.

A medium T.G. Green stacked inside a larger Mason Cash
paired with some old wooden sieves...

There are many variations as well - a couple weeks ago at a flea market I stumbled on a vintage one marked for the British shop Fortnum and Mason, and I've seen many in the style of Cornish ware, the traditional blue and white striped dishes.  So far I've held out for the shades of cream, ivory and beige in the basic simple style, but if the problem progresses....you never know....