Emma Bickley: Julie Nichols makes my first ever Christmas Pudding
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Food writer and photographer Emma Bickley had never eaten Christmas pudding—and certainly never made one—until she visited the home of Handmade Canberra’s Julie Nichols.
I think it’s fair to say there are two types of families in Australia: the kind that has Christmas pudding, and the ones who don’t.
I most certainly fell into the latter. Panettone, yes. Pudding, no. I’m not sure I’ve ever even tasted it. But as the little European kid looking in through the window, I’m intrigued about this cake that cooks for hours and seems to have even more longevity than Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
And it’s filled with money?
I was chatting on the phone to Julie Nichols, founder of Handmade Canberra, one Sunday morning and she mentioned she was about to make the annual pud. Of course, I immediately extended myself an invitation. “You mean you’re coming now?” asked Julie. I was already in the car.
Julie’s place is set on a few acres out at Murrumbateman with a reserve behind her—so it feels like a massive country estate, minus all that pesky mowing. I always pretend to know where Murrumbateman actually is because it comes up often in conversation as a must-visit destination in the region. In reality, I had to look it up on the map. I remember driving to a select few wineries over the years, but the trip home is hazy at best.
Founder of Handmade Canberra, Julie Nichols.
Being the founder of the Handmade Canberra empire, I was hardly surprised that Julie lives in a gorgeous house with loads of details that make you stop and ask questions. When I arrive, she’s standing next to a life-sized Nutcracker, the first of what will surely be many chic and artisanal Christmas decorations.
Inside, high exposed timber ceilings, polished concrete floors and stylish vignettes are dotted here and there. A red ‘N’ for Nichols, just the right shade of bottle brush in a vase of ideal height and the perfect lamp. Her home is a neat and understated tribute to the amazing makers she has amassed at the Handmade Markets over the years.
What I didn’t expect in this schmancy place of hers, was a low, repetitive hissing sound. “That’s the pot I bring out every year to steam the puddings.” Julie proclaims. Love this time of year with its traditions, don’t you? “Got it at a garage sale when my kids were babies.”
Judging by the very much grown-up daughter who has joined us for the baking, I’m guessing that was a while ago. The pot bubbles away and lets out an attention-seeking sigh every now and then. It’s soon drowned out by Christmas music and chatter.
I wonder whether this pudding will be one of those recipes that’s on old paper in that divine and squiggly old lady handwriting. You know the one? It turns out that while it is old and splattered with year upon year of Christmas love, it’s actually a snippet from the Woman’s Weekly that’s Julie’s favourite recipe.
“Parisian Browning Essence, ever heard of it?” asks Julie. It’s a key ingredient to giving the pudding it’s golden-brown hue. How impossibly elegant to have something Parisian in your otherwise Anglo pudding recipe. Conjures images of European Christmas markets and beautifully made decorations, completely in line with Julie’s vibe. “What’s it taste like?” I ask, intrigued.
“Nothing,” says Julie. “I get it at Coles.”
I guess not all things have a glamorous story. But you know who does? Julie does. I remembered that she was in the Air Force. I had images of ultra-tailored uniforms and meticulous buns, peeking out from important-looking hats. Marching and saluting. Yes, my knowledge of military history and culture is sketchy at best.
Did you know the Air Force has flight attendants? Swanky flight attendants who would wait on politicians and celebrities? Julie got to take care of Queen Elizabeth II when she was travelling in Australia along with Hawke, Keating and a bunch of celebrities that are too numerous to mention. She waved as Princess Di came down the steps and onto the runway. She even has the photos to prove it.
How is it that old photos always make it seem like life was more glamorous then? Whenever someone pulls out the heavy album covered in that red crocodile skin with gold trim, you know there are some stories worth telling in there.
“Here’s me at a pool party,” says person, looking effortlessly natural in a 1980s style bikini and no makeup. “I think Jimmy Barnes was at that one.” Meanwhile my iPhone has 7546 pictures of what I ate in the last decade and about as many of my kids dressed up in costumes.
Back to the pudding. There’s a quick flurry of ingredients, the kind of cooking that happens when you’ve made the recipe many times. Mixing, tasting and “…remembering to put the bloody coins in”. Apparently, they’ve been forgotten before but magically appear on someone’s plate all the same. *Winky face emoji* But don’t be putting your regular (gross) coins into your food, these were specially purchased from the Perth Mint on one of Julie’s many trips.
As Julie continues scraping pudding batter into basins, carefully lined with baking paper and foil, I’m paying attention but also lusting over her beautiful black Le Creuset pan. I actually brought my youngest daughter along who quickly rattled off that this whole experience reminded her of the Magic Pudding and how they had to sit on his basin head to stop him from running away.
One could have felt proudly erudite had she not followed it up with “We only read a few pages because mummy thought it was it too boring”. Ah, kids.
I also have so many questions about Canberra’s beloved Handmade Markets. How do you go from being a jet-setting Air Force flight attendant who has been everywhere (more than once) to create the region’s most successful marketplace for craft products?
“Millinery,” says Julie.
While she was working, Julie developed a keen interest in making gorgeous hats and took courses to develop her skills. When her kids came along, it was time to take a step back from the tiring life of international travel and her love of beautifully produced, handmade products finally had time to flourish.
First came a few Handmade markets, then a shop and a book. If you’ve lived anywhere near the ACT, you probably remember the exciting evolution. Next, a multi-million-dollar Canberra-based event attracting people from all over the country, awash with stunning products, so intricate and unique that it’s impossible to leave empty-handed.
The puddings are steaming away and while the thought of spending another four hours waiting for them to be done and poring over Julie’s albums while we look out onto the bucolic landscape is appealing, there are never enough hours in the day. We say our goodbyes and I head straight to Coles to buy some fashionable sounding Parisian Browning Essence.
Later in the week, Julie popped round to drop me off my very own Christmas pudding—my first one! I’m going to save it to surprise my parents who I don’t think have ever seen one. Might just have to warn them about the cash hidden inside, lest they take too fervent a bite!
As she heads down the driveway I yell out “What do I serve it with? Custard? Ice Cream? Cream?”
As she’s driving off, she yells out the window “All three, of course!”
