Carbon Dioxide

I read an article this morning on the newest measurements of Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (you can find the BBC article, based on a World Meteorological Organization report here).

I know I don't usually talk about "work" related things on my blog. But this is less work and more world problem. Here is a graph from co2now.org of atmosphere carbon dioxide since 1958...




This to me, is quite shocking. Since I started my undergraduate degree in meteorology in 2001, CO2 has increased about 20 parts per million. I vividly remember being shown in various classes that CO2 concentration was 370 ppm and using that number in exams. Now it is OVER 390 ppm.

CO2 isn't a gas that we emit and then disappears quickly. It sticks around in the atmosphere for years (some estimates are up to 200 years). SO, if we want to mitigate the impact of CO2 on changing the climate and warming the earth we need to start stabilizing CO2. This means emitting less. A lot less.

Just think about it. I really need to start riding my bike more.

Christmas Pudding

I decided to take my chances and make a traditional Christmas pudding for the first time. I figured I could make it and we would eat it when we exchanged gifts before I left for home for Christmas. Plus, if it tasted terrible I knew I could get the real good stuff when I got home. Win win.

So the first step wasn't even in the recipe. The recipe required candied peel. I couldn't find any candied peel anywhere so I made it. Semi-successfully.

I started by scoring and peeling 7 lemons and 4 large oranges.

Oranges and lemon peeling complete

The peels were then boiled in water and drained, then boiled in water and drained again. This is supposed to get rid of some of the bitterness in the peel. After boiling and cooling, came the tedious part. Scraping out the white pith from all the peel and chopping the peel into strips.

A giant pile of pith and the useful orange and lemon peel

The strips of peel were then cooked in a sugar syrup in a pan. This is where things went a little wrong. I used the same amount of syrup for the orange and the lemon and it was supposed to simmer for 45 minutes. I stupidly left them simmering without checking regularly enough and the orange peel sugar syrup got a little burnt. But the lemon was perfect! After simmering the peel was laid out to cool and after a day or two I put them in a sandwich bag with some sugar and shook it to coat the peel in sugar.

Candied lemon peel success!

The lemon was delicious! Some of the orange peel was a little blacker than it should have been, but it still tasted good. A lot of work for 25 grams of candied mixed peel but the rest was a great snack!

Anyway, onto the pudding. The ingredient list:

1lb /450g dried mixed fruit (I used golden raisins, raisins, dried plums)
1 oz /25 g mixed candied peel, finely chopped
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped 
Grated zest and juice ½ large orange and ½ lemon
4 tbsp brandy, plus a little extra for soaking at the end
2 oz /55 g all purpose flour, sifted
1 level tsp ground mixed spice (ginger, nutmeg and cloves)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 oz /110 g shredded vegetarian suet (I ordered this on amazon as I couldn't find it here)
4oz /110g soft, dark brown sugar
4 oz /110 g white fresh bread crumbs
1 oz /25 g whole shelled almonds, roughly chopped
2 large, fresh eggs

So onto the steps...

Lightly butter a 2½ pint/1.4 litre pudding basin. I didn't have one/couldn't find one this size. Mine was slightly smaller so ended having a second mini pudding.


Place the dried fruits, candied peel, apple, orange and lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to marinate overnight.

Marinated dried fruits. Yum.

Stir together the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon in a very large mixing bowl. Add the suet, sugar, lemon and orange zest, bread crumbs, nuts and stir again until all the ingredients are well mixed. 

Add the marinaded dried fruits and stir again.

Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl then stir quickly into the dry ingredients. The mixture should have a fairly soft consistency.

Spoon the mixture in to the greased pudding basins, gently pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. 

Puddings in bowls and ready for steaming

Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment, then a layer of aluminum foil and tie securely with string.

Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 7 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently so it never boils dry. The pudding should be a deep brown color when cooked. The pudding is not a light cake but instead is a dark, sticky and dense sponge.

They've got their coats on and a ready for a long afternoon in the steamer. The little string handle was very useful for lifting them in and out

Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 7 hours. I didn't have a big enough steamer set so just set the pudding in a large pan with 1-2 inches of water in the bottom and a lid. It worked just fine.Make sure you check the water level frequently so it never boils dry.

The pudding should be a deep brown color when cooked. The pudding is not a light cake but instead is a dark, sticky and dense sponge.

Remove the pudding from the steamer, cool completely. Remove the paper, prick the pudding with a skewer and pour in a little extra brandy. Cover with fresh greaseproof paper and retie with string. Store in a cool dry place until Christmas day. 

The puddings a week or so after steaming during an additional Brandy soaking. Looks like it should!

On Christmas day reheat the pudding by steaming again for about an hour. Serve with Brandy sauce, Brandy butter, cream or ice cream (my fave). Obviously I haven't got to this part yet but I promise to show a picture when it gets eaten. It smells like it should so I'm hopeful it will work!

It really wasn't that hard to make so if it tastes good I'll def do it again!

Bonfire Night is not here...

... because in the US, no one knows what bonfire night is! Unless they've seen V for Vendetta and have some kind of clue. But even then, most people have no idea.

"Remember, remember the fifth of November.
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot.
I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot."

Nowadays, November 5th is essentially a night where you have big bonfires, maybe burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes (or other disgraced person currently making headlines, I hear Mr Lance Armstrong will be making a few appearances this year) and have fireworks and sparklers. With the fireworks, it's a little like 4th July, except colder!

Bonfire night is essentially a celebration of successfully foiling a 1605 plot (plot) to blow up parliament (gunpowder), kill the king (treason) and lead a revolt to return Catholicism to Britain.

Many British people learn about this in school history lessons, usually in primary school. I hope they still do! Most will find the following picture of the conspirators very familiar, with Mr Guy Fawkes himself third from the right.

Guy Fawkes was the first man connected to the plot that was found in the cellars below parliament and arrested. Although I think it is well known that Fawkes was not the leader, as he was the first one caught red handed, his name is synonymous with November 5th (hence the whole V for Vendetta mask and story).

Anyway, seeing as I will not be partaking in any kind of fireworks or bonfire I wanted to share the story with you all. You can find way more detail online if you want to know more

I will say that during 5th November fireworks they do not play patriotic British music... that's one huge difference between 5th November and 4th July fireworks displays!!