Yorkshire Pudding Day is a day so special that it is celebrated twice a year: the first Sunday in February in the U.K. and October 13 in the U.S. and everywhere else. To make it, a pancake batter is placed under a lump of meat being roasted over a fire, and the fat drippings from the meat season and color the pudding, making it savory, tasty, and scrumptious. This delicacy, though traditionally British, is a side dish loved by many in America. The fact that Yorkshire pudding has two holidays to its name, celebrated in two continents, is proof that these golden-brown beauties are heavenly luscious.
History of Yorkshire Pudding Day
British Yorkshire Pudding Day is observed every first Sunday in February. That’s the date in the British calendar dedicated to celebrating the much-loved delicacy made from egg, flour, and milk, and is cooked by deep-frying in one large group of individual puddings.
Although its exact origin in the northern part of England is unknown, the appositive ‘Yorkshire’ now associated with the pudding was first used to describe the delicacy in a 1747 book titled “The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy.” The book distinguished the light and crispy texture of puddings made in England’s northern region from others created in parts of the country.
Considered to be one of the most modest yet protean British side dishes, the Yorkshire pudding is loved by most people, with its formed cavity acting as a receptacle, holding lots of sauce.
In the U.K., Yorkshire pudding is mostly cooked in beef dripping or, in this modern-day, oil, as is done in the United States and Canada.
This traditionally British dish often has large festivals organized around its celebration in the U.K. each February that is usually attended by lovers of this gourmet meal.
It is believed that it came into existence with the mainstream usage of wheat flour for baking and was invented as a result of northern England cooks trying to find a way of making use of the fat drippings that drops into the pan while the meat is being roasted.
Yorkshire Pudding Day timeline
The first Yorkshire pudding recipe called “dripping pudding” is published in a 1737 book titled “The Whole Duty of a Woman.”
The famous food writer Hannah Glasse, through her book "The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy," refurbishes the century-old dripping pudding into the Yorkshire pudding as we know it today.
The first mass-produced Yorkshire pudding sells in 1995.
Yorkshire Pudding Day is first observed in 2007.
In 2008, the Royal Society of Chemistry standardizes the recipe for making Yorkshire pudding with the declaration, "A Yorkshire pudding isn’t a Yorkshire pudding if it is less than four inches tall."
Yorkshire Pudding Day FAQs
What is Yorkshire pudding called in America?
Many people consider Popover (a light roll made from the same flour, egg, and milk recipe) the American version of Yorkshire pudding.
Why is it called Yorkshire pudding?
Because it was first made in the English county of Yorkshire. The Yorkshire pudding’s history is rooted in Britain and the English culture.
Do British people eat Yorkshire pudding after their main course?
No. Typically, the pudding is served together with or before the main course of a meal and not after it. It’s often referred to as a ‘side dish.’
Yorkshire Pudding Day Activities
Make a pudding meal
How else do you celebrate a yummy British delicacy? Gather loved ones for dinner and serve the unique delicacy to celebrate the day.
Invent new cooking methods
Yes! Although people mostly just opt for buying some frozen mass-produced puddings in stores, one way to observe Yorkshire Pudding day, since there’s not much that can change from its recipe, is to invent new ways to prepare a pudding.
Watch others prepare it
Yorkshire puddings can be cooked as individual puddings or as one large one to be cut in pieces and served. There’re so many other things to learn about puddings that can be seen watching others prepare them.
5 Important Facts About Yorkshire Pudding
It entered the Guinness World Records
In 1996, a specifically made Yorkshire pudding warmed its way into the Guinness World Records with its unbelievably enormous size.
It was eaten by 1,632 people at once
Once, the Yorkshire pudding was served as dinner to be eaten by 1,632 people at the same time, making it the largest roast dinner in 2009.
It’s celebrated twice a year
Yorkshire pudding has not one but two designated days: While the British celebrate British Yorkshire Pudding Day on the first Sunday of February each year, the U.S. has another day for it in October, called National Yorkshire Pudding Day.
Largest Pudding factory produces nearly 5,000 every minute
The largest mass-production Yorkshire pudding factory produces around six hundred thirty-nine million ninety-five thousand nine hundred fifty-four puddings a year.
It is mass-produced
In the U.K., you can buy bags of frozen Yorkshire pudding, fully cooked and only needing to be heated before eating.
Why We Love Yorkshire Pudding Day
It represents the uniqueness of British culture
British Yorkshire Pudding Day reminds us of the long and unique history of Britain where it was invented and exported around the world. Yorkshire pudding is considered one of the most recognized British food exports ever!
We get to enjoy it with family
Traditionally, Yorkshire puddings are enjoyed with family and friends at dinner. Its delectability makes it an excellent delicacy for bonding with family and friends.
It’s yummy!
Seriously, 'delicious' doesn’t quite describe the tastiness of Yorkshire puddings. The plain puffed savory pastry is usually plain-flavored and rich-tasting with a crisped-up hollow shell and is usually soft, light, and crisp.
Yorkshire Pudding Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | October 13 | Sunday |
| 2025 | October 13 | Monday |
| 2026 | October 13 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | October 13 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | October 13 | Friday |
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