To Make An Ordinary Sago Pudding

This sago pudding recipe comes from early 18th-century Britain, a time when sago—a starch extracted from tropical palms—was a trendy import popular among the upper classes. British households with means often prepared sweet, custardy puddings for dessert, reflecting both a love of rich, spiced dishes and the influence of foreign trade, as seen in the use of sago, wine, and spices like nutmeg. The inclusion of wine and almonds in the sauce points to the aspirational nature of such puddings—showcasing both affluence and a taste for luxury at the Georgian table. Recipes like this were commonly found in manuscript cookbooks kept by women managing large households.

In the early 1700s, this pudding would have been made in a well-equipped kitchen with some specialized tools: a large pot or pan for boiling the sago, a pudding basin (often stoneware or pewter), and a large wooden spoon for mixing. If baking, a ceramic or metal dish lined with handmade puff pastry would be used. Baking was done in a brick or clay oven, and boiling/stewing done over an open hearth or stove. For the sauce, a small saucepan or posset pot would have been used. A fine grater for the lemon peel and a nutmeg grater were essential, as was a strong arm for whisking eggs by hand.