Despite my complaints about most cookbooks these days (see my previous rant), I managed to find another welcome addition to my carefully curated collection. I already picked up this beauty in June, so this quick cookbook review is long overdue. Better late than never though. Regula Ysewijn is a fabulously retro, Belgian lady with a passion for British food, and with Pride and Pudding she has created a cookbook that is nothing short of a masterpiece.

At first, I didn’t know whether or not I should be jealous. Going to England and seeing it as my home away from home, surely that was my thing? But then I would never have thought of writing an entire book about puddings. And I’m so glad she did. This book contains so many things I love: food history, interesting (historical) recipes I would never have thought of myself and wonderful clair-obscur food photography.

A savoury beef pudding.

You’d be forgiven for thinking an entire book about puddings would be a little monotonous. But nothing could be further from the truth. The word pudding conveys so many different things, both savoury and sweet: from sausages (black pudding), beef puddings with a delicious suet crust and fluffy Yorkshire puds, to elderflower cheesecake (Sambocade), trifles, jellies, and much much more. This book is an absolute must-have, even if reading and looking at the pictures is all you’re ever going to do with it. I, however, am greatly looking forward to turning some of those recipes into actual dishes. After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Literally speaking.

“Bacon & Eggs” made from fruit and almond jelly.