This recipe represents (to me) some of the characteristic best of North American traditional cooking. First, the balance of richness in the milk,egg, and butter is excellent. While your mouth experiences the bloom of a "cuisine" dessert, the knowledge that the ingredients are homely brings it down to earth. Second, however, you have the spices: cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. These are vestiges of our heyday in world trade stemming from the 1800s. Again, the proportions bring a rush while not overwhelming the palate. The relative ease of preparation and the wealth of satisfaction in the resulting dish are indisputable. I had ends of bread in the cupboard and mentioned "bread pudding" on a rainy Saturday afternoon to my wife. I then came to All Recipes and this recipe seemed to stand out among several candidates. It was my 10-year old son's first taste of bread pudding, but I felt confident that this recipe captured the essence of this dessert I'd had at mom's table many times. It was perfect. Thanks. I can see this this coming winter season as the conclusion to a stew or pot-roast or roasted chicken meal. Can't you?

Reviewed On: Nov. 16, 2008