Fig Sue (Bread Posset)

GOOD FRIDAY

Fig Sue was a bread posset once served on Good Friday particularly in the Lake District. Although a posset is usually considered to be a curdled milk dish, being Good Friday and a fast day, milk could not be used. Fig Sue is made with ale, bread, figs, treacle and nutmeg. Figs were used as it was believed that Christ’s cross was made from fig wood. Traditionally served from a posset pot or an oak bowl, the container was offered to visitors for them to take spoonfuls.

Ingredients

½ pint (300ml) strong ale 1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 thick slices of white bread ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 dried figs cut into small pieces 1 tablesoon rum
1 tablespoon black treacle  

Method

  1. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut the slices into cubes.
  2. Put all the ingredients, except the rum, into a saucepan and cook very gently for about 10 mins.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.

The only way I can describe what this is like is it resembles a liquid form of Christmas Pudding. It was surprisingly tasty.

Images

Dried Figs
DRIED FIGS (Cut Small)

Bread Lices
SLICED BREAD
Rum
RUM