While Karl was making his way on his bicycle around the world, some of his fellow Canadians were being dispatched to South Africa to support the British soldiers in the Boer War.
The conflict occurred in two South African Republics between the British and the descendants of the original Dutch settlers to the area, the Boers. In allegiance to the British Empire, Canada’s Prime Minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, committed a battalion of 7,000 volunteers — 125 from Nova Scotia — and sent Canada’s first troops abroad.
The main garrison and supply depot for the British forces was Ladysmith, and this town was the primary target for the Boers. The battle of Ladysmith started on October 30, 1899, and continued for 118 days. Over the course of the siege, 800 British soldiers were killed and another 800 captured by the Boers.
But, on December 25th, 1899, the projectile that the Boers fired into Ladysmith did not have a fuse, instead the projectile contained a Christmas pudding with the message "compliments of the season.” That Christmas pudding was one of 1,000 Christmas puddings made by the Peek, Frean & Company of England sent to the frontline troops in 1899.
The Christmas pudding is one of those traditions from the Victorian era that continues today and is a must-have at my family Christmas dinner, preferably submerged in custard. I don’t know if Karl had Christmas pudding on this day in 1899, but it seems highly likely given that most of the British Empire were eating it, even those fighting a war.
So with that, dear Reader, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, and if you are having a traditional dinner today with Christmas pudding, know you are in good company. If you have never had Christmas pudding before or feel inclined to make your own, I offer you the recipe first served at Queen Victoria’s Christmas dinner at Windsor Castle in 1899 — just don’t forget the custard.
Christmas Pudding
List of Ingredients
¾ pound raisins
¾ pound currants
½ pound candied orange, lemon and citron
1¼ pounds chopped beef suet (or shortening)
1 pound flour (2 cups)
¾ pound moist sugar
4 eggs
3 gills of milk (1½ cups)
Grated rind of two lemons
½ ounce nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves
1 glass of brandy (¼ cup)
Pinch of salt
Recipe
Mix the above ingredients thoroughly together in a large basin several hours before the pudding is to be boiled; pour them into a mould spread with butter, which should be tied up in a cloth. The pudding must then be boiled for four hours and a half.
Custard:
4 egg yolks
2 ounces pounded sugar (about ¼ cup)
1 glass of sherry (about ¼ cup)
Orange or lemon peel, rubbed on loaf sugar
Very little salt
Custard:
Whisk this sharply, until it assumes the appearance of a light frothy custard.
Then dish up some Christmas pudding in a bowl and then pour loads of custard over the top. Merry Christmas.