Spotted Dick: What Is It, Anyway?

[ashling]

?12

So, what is it, anyway?
Spotted dick is a traditional British pudding made from suet, or mutton fat. The suet is mixed with other ingredients, such as baking soda, flour, molasses, corn syrup, or nutmeg. This creates a pastry dough, to which raisins or dry fruit are added, hence the dessert's "spots." The dough is traditionally either steamed or boiled, and is often served with a custard sauce.

Etymology
Why does such a commonplace, and even appetizing dessert have such a strange, unappetizing name? As mentioned, "spotted" refers to the currants, fruit or raisins in the pastry. "Dick" is messier to explain -- the word itself has a fuzzy history, and in the 19th century alone it was understood as an abbreviation for dictionary, a policeman, an apron, a riding wip, and, of course, male genitalia. Around the same time as these meanings were used, the first recorded spotted dick recipe was created. Etymology resources suggest that the "dick" in "spotted dick" could be "a corruption of the last syllable of pudding," "a corruption of 'dough'," or a reference to the German dick, meaning thick or viscous.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Sounds like a particularly unpleasant STD.

Like chicken pox of the nether regions.

[LiberalEsto]

2. It is a nastyish dessert or "pudding"

made with a dictionary, a policeman, an apron, a riding w(h)ip, and, of course, male genitalia.
Boiled for 23 hours and served with custard which is thick or viscous.

Next question?

[Arkansas Granny]

3. If you're interested, you can buy it in cans.

[LiberalEsto]

4. See! See! I SAID it was pudding

They even admit it on the label.

I made the mistake of trying it once, while visiting That Place. Let me assure you, it is tough, dry and in no way resembles tapioca, rice or any REAL decent pudding beloved by normal Americans..

[Moondog]

5. Something that you do not want to eat.

The British Isles are not renowned for their cuisine. There is a reason for that. Spotted Dick is not an exception to the basic rule.

[Demoiselle]

6. I've had very tasty Spotted Dick.

We had an English housemother at my college dorm, and she got the cooks there to do all kinds of English goodies.
My favorite was steamed chocolate pudding with hot fudge sauce. There were others. And the Spotted Dick was very nice...especially when buried in whipped cream.

[trof]

7. Suet. Yum.

Suet is raw beef or mutton fat, especially the hard fat found around the loins and kidneys.

[njcamden_25884]

8. some kind of a pudding with a particularly nasty name

heard it tastes good tho.