English puddings : sweet and savoury

Thanks to so many of today's star chefs producing classic hearty meals as their signature dishes, we are all rediscovering the delights of our native puddings, both sweet and savoury; Steak and Kidney Pudding, Pease Pudding and Bread and Butter Pudding are all now appearing on the smartest restaurant menus - and rightly so.

The culinary pendulum is swinging back to a style of eating consisting of simple, unfussy plates of delicious slow-cooked meats and gently stewed seasonal fruits, many of which virtually cook themselves, and allowing us to eat well without expensive, imported ingredients.

As well as a wonderful collection of recipes which spans flummeries, syllabubs, fools, fritters, dumplings, pies and tarts, Mary Norwak also gives us a fascinating insight into the history of all these now popular dishes.