OK, I bought the ingrediants on Thursday, mixed them on Friday, steamed one pudding on Saturday and finished the steaming and ate it on Sunday. I realize that is too quick (to judge from the posts above) but I wanted to have this pudding for the tree trimming ad my friends' house.

The votes are in and after fifty or sixty recounts we come to a 50-50 split on the opinions of the pudding. Generally the adults loved it and the kids were against it. My own daughter said she'd rather eat lima beans and that is a definite vote against!

It has a smoky flavor, tasting almost burned, that I at first wanted to put down to poor cooking. Then as I ate it I decided it was not burned. The flavor was universal and not regionalized to one area. The pudding was dark brown and tasted of the fruit and the spice, and this smoky flavor. I was uncertain and thought I would not like it but I realized it is probably an acquired taste, much like beer.

Tomorrow I take the leftovers in to the office and let the experts try it. I may need to pour a little rum over it to influence their votes. Enough rum and all the chads will get pregnant!

Thanks to the UK contingent for your help in this experiment.

Merry Christmas!