A Dessert By Any Other Name

A classic English dessert – pudding, if you're English – is getting a new name because Brits can't stop the blushes and the jokes when they have to ask for it.

Spotted Dick, a Victorian era raisin-studded sponge pudding, is being called Spotted Richard in the headquarters of Flintshire council in north Wales. The humble dessert – usually served with custard – has fought off several attempts at censorship in recent years, among them grocery store giant Tesco, which banned the name in 2001. For the record, spotted refers to the raisins or other dried fruit, while the origin of "Dick" is unclear – it may be a corruption either of the last syllable of pudding, or perhaps the word dough, according to the UK's Daily Mail.

A Flintshire spokesman told the Mail that the council's cafeteria had renamed the dessert because of "childish comments" from diners.

"The correct title for this dish is Spotted Dick. However, because of several immature comments from a few customers, catering staff renamed the dish Spotted Richard or Sultana Sponge [sultanas are a type of raisin]," he told the Mail.

The UK's Pudding Club – which aims to preserve British heritage in dessert form  – made it clear who they thought the, erm, Richards were in this case.

"This is totally bonkers," chairman Peter Henderson told the Mail. "Spotted Dick is part of our heritage and I can't believe people are really offended by it. If they were changing the name in a tongue-in-cheek way that would be fair enough – I've seen it sold as Blemished Richard."

Can't help wondering how many people think that particular name hits the spot...

Photo courtesy Telstar Logistics via Flickr.