Thanks to so many of today's star chefs producing classic hearty meals as their signature dishes, we are all rediscovering the delights of traditional 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.