Okay, I'm calling on all of my non-US friends (mostly the UK folks) to help me out with some definitions. I've been rereading Harry Potter lately, and I'm finally breaking down to ask: what the heck is a pudding?

Let me clarify. Here in the US, 'pudding' is a desert, very creamy, usually coming in the flavors of chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch. Its closest cousin is a custard, although pudding isn't made with eggs. It's very smooth and sweet, dairy based, and definitely a non-nutritional treat - you eat it with a spoon, no need to chew. It looks like this:
[Linked Image]

Sometimes pudding can be made with bread in it, or we use it to make other deserts (banana 'Nilla Wafer desert is a personal favorite of mine!). No matter what, though, in the US, pudding is NEVER made with any sort of meat in it (at least to my knowledge and my definition of the word). The idea is actually rather revolting.

So, how do the rest of you define 'pudding'? I'd always taken it to be the UK general term for any kind of desert. Yet, as I understand it, Yorkshire Pudding has meat in it, which I don't consider desert material.

And while I'm here, can someone tell be what treacle is? Again, I'm thinking it must be some kind of desert.

And what, exactly, is a pastie? I know y'all don't even pronounce it the way we would. We would say PAY-stee (long a vowel sound) while you would go with PASS-tee. What is it, even? Do we have an equivalent? Here, a pastie is something a woman of ill-repute might use as part of her wardrobe!! Think Janet Jackson's Nipplegate Spectacle.

Thanks so much for any clarification. I just have to know what these people are eating. wink

Lynn

You know that boy'd walk on water for you? Or he'd drown tryin'. -Perry White to Lois in Just Say Noah