Rum and raisin spotted dick
PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON
A person’s woes can be cured by a bowl of crumble and custard. From the first warm, sweet, stodgy mouthful we feel less alone. A generous slice of jam roly poly is an edible cuddle, a bakewell tart makes troubles melt away. Why is it that the puddings we remember from our youth – the ones we scoffed at school, fought about at family dinners or even drooled over in the works of Enid Bly ton – fill our emotional cup as well as filling our bellies?
The ‘gastrophysicist ’ Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psycholog y at Oxford, suggests we’re seeking safety in every spoonful. “Childhood is when we’re looked after, and when we feel more emotionally threatened,” he explains. Being reminded of a favourite treat from our early years is “almost like emotional support that happens to be provided through food; it will reassure and comfort”.