Why do british desserts have non straight forward names?

You ever noticed how British desserts have names that don't directly describe what it is? For example, Christmas pudding is a cake and not a pudding, plum pudding has no plums and is also a cake, and mincemeat pie contains no meat. American desserts have names exactly describing it like Apple pie or chocolate cake. Ever wonder why the British don't give their desserts straight forward names? Just curious

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Comments ( 25 )
  • e51pegasi

    Christmas pudding is a pudding served after with custard laced with brandy or dark rum & is usually served after the main course on Christmas Day.

    Christmas cake or fruit cake is very similar but is traditionally iced with a layer of marzipan & then royal icing. It is normally served with tea, coffee or in the evening with something a little stronger.

    Sweet mince pies are usually only made & available in the shops around Christmas time. sweet mince or mincemeat is made from chopped dried fruit, spices, spirits & nuts.

    Savoury mince pies are sold all year round in bakeries & are made using minced beef/ground beef.

    And then there is Yorkshire pudding & pease pudding which are also savoury.

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    • It’s a directive from MI6 to confuse the general population.

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  • barstool

    Like spotted dick? Thank god they're not what's described

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    • Yeh, hahahaha πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ lol

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      • Whatkatedid

        Thats the thing i thought you meant πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

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  • Checkmate_King

    Think I'll smoke a fag, eat a banger, and avoid spotted dick.

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    • Never been sure why fag became a derogatory word for homosexual in America when fag meant and still means cigarette in UK.

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  • Nickvey

    spotted Dick sounds like a venereal disease. yorkshire pudding has no sugar

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    • Yorkshire pudding tastes more like a half egg/ half bread combination but it's definitely not a sweet dessert.

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  • Ummitsme

    I desire Scottish faggots in my mouth from time to time and i am the least bit homeosexual. What ever will we do with our unique coloquialisms.

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    • πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ hahahahaha πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

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  • Checkmate_King

    Faggot and fag are two different expressions. Faggot is used in the UK as that derogatory word example from Mark Knoffler, "Dire Straits--Money for Nothing"

    See the little faggot with the earring and the make-up
    Yeah buddy that's his own hair
    That little faggot got his own jet airplane
    That little faggot he's a millionaire

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    • Americans have called homosexuals both faggots and fags for short.

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  • Aethylfritha

    Many British things are like that, they are known to gave a wry or ironic sense of humor.
    Or humour.

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    • Since the English language began in the UK before any English speaking settlers ever set foot on the American continent, I wonder why there are still Americans that say that the British added the letter u to humor or color instead of the Americans taking the u away.

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      • Bazinga

        Because it should never have been there. Colonial Americans, being British expatriates, were tired of England. Tired of Nobility, tired of the convoluted language, tired of laws limiting firearms, tired non-sense table manners, tired of taxes, and extremely pissed-off that they couldn't say whatever popped into their head.

        So they fixed everything. The new nobility were common assholes like IINers, language got simpler and more descriptive, everyone could own a closet of assault rifles to protect against mass shootings, taxes dropped, and impulsive speech flourished.

        Same thing happened in Australia to a lesser extent. Plum pudding with custard at a Christmas barbie next to the swimming pool was the best way to tell Scrooge to go get fucked.

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  • RoseIsabella

    I love German chocolate cake!

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  • dinz

    Christmas pudding for example would be a little hard to describe in one word because it contains all sorts of ingredients like sultanas, raisins, currants, brandy, nut meg and the list goes on and the recipe can vary.

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    • Yeh, it's OK, but not my cup of tea (good expression for this thread), I'm American but I lived in England for 4 years. I love alot of British food including fish n chips, roast lamb, meat pies (but no kidney!), and I love British sausages. But, I usually prefer American desserts, (bring me the ol Apple or cherry pie), with the exception being that I love treacle covered in syrup and brown sugar and I love custard (I like it thicker, but I noticed how some Brits prefer it thin and runny).

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      • e51pegasi

        Cherry pie with double cream or custard mmm.

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        • I also loved raspberry ripple ice cream, which I can't find in America, at least not in the same way or it being called that

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    • The two words β€œChristmas pudding” is so descriptive though. lol.

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      • Bazinga

        Nope. "Steamed Fruit Cake" would allow me to visualize it at least.

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  • morepeppersplease

    I think it is the british humour thing. Like a strawberry shortcake is called a Victoria sandwich. A cookie is called a biscuit.

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    • And the trunk is called the boot, and a question is called a query. And color or flavor is spelled colour or flavour. At least I'm one of those Americans who realizes that we took away the u in those words. I've known Americans who still say that you guys added the u.

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