Stirring things up at Witney's Cogges Manor Farm

FROM inauspicious beginnings, it’s become an annual gastronomic treat – with its unique charms of suet, dried fruit and alcohol.

But, did you know, the festive dessert we know and love today began life in the late 1500s as a thick meat stew flavoured with spices and known as plum pottage? It wasn’t until the Victorian era when Prince Albert declared his preference for a steamed, brandy-soaked fruit delight that Christmas pudding became fashionable.

And, since the mid-1800s, the last Sabbath before Advent has been known as Stir-Up Sunday – after Anglican churchgoers mistook an unintentional reminder from the Common Book of Prayer. Yet this centuries old tradition seems to be going the same way as modern church attendance – with more than 90 per cent of households preferring pre-made puds over getting their hands dirty.

However, by taking visitors back to the sights, sounds and heady smells of Christmas past the magical kitchen in this manor farmhouse will no doubt play its part in reversing this trend. Many dedicated Cogges cooks have brought history to life here – with countless local children having grown up enjoying hot treats made with knowledge and passion on their Victorian range. For 25 years, the legendary Elizabeth Moulder inspired all with her heart-warming love of past times and, of course, good food.

Today, her colleagues continue that lasting legacy. This masterclass in mincemeat uses a Witney family recipe that’s been passed down from generation to generation. It’s a closely guarded secret, but I can divulge it includes a dark mysterious spellbinding porter from the town’s Wychwood Brewery and an olde English variety of apple from the neighbouring church’s ancient orchard.

This is a distinctly communal affair – where families gather together to start their festive preparations. We chop, weigh, divide and measure all the ingredients – except the alcohol which I’m informed should be applied liberally! Then, donning an apron and grabbing a wooden spoon, everyone takes a turn at pummelling the mixture and making a wish for the year ahead – which, as long as you don’t tell anyone, will come true.

The whole process is laden with custom and tradition. A baker’s dozen ingredients represents the Messiah and his 12 apostles, whilst the mixture itself must be stirred from East to West in honour of the three wise men that visited the baby Jesus in the Nativity story. The inclusion of a silver sixpence is believed to bestow 12 months of wealth, health and happiness upon the finder – or, bad luck with an emergency visit to the dentist!

The proof of the pudding is, as they say, in the eating…so, I can’t wait to tuck in. But, it must be kept for another five weeks yet to mature in readiness for the big day itself. Finished with a spring of holly – to represent the crown of thorns, I can now serve up a hearty classic that Mrs Beeton would certainly be proud of.

With over 1,000 years of history, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Cogges Manor Farm and the heritage centre’s pantomime has become a staple of Witney’s cultural calendar. Hosted in their Grade II listed wheat barn on November 27, this year’s performance is Robin Hood.

For tickets, visit cogges.org.uk