By Marcia Passos Duffy

Part of the pleasure of eating pudding (aside from its yummy taste) is the warm & fuzzy memories it stirs up for those of us who ate it (sometimes by the gallons) as children.

For me, the best pudding memory comes from my grandmother's Portuguese rice pudding, warm right off the stove, topped with cinnamon. The sweetest part was scraping the bottom of the pot for those pearly rice granules, slightly caramelized; she always obliged and even scooped some up for herself, winking at me like it was our own special secret.

My mother made a different sort of pudding, with roots in Brazil where she grew up called Mingau de Milho: a hearty cornmeal pudding we often ate for breakfast. She always tucked away in one of the bowls a small cinnamon stick; finding it was like getting a wishbone, filled with good luck.

Making pudding from scratch is so easy it's a shame to use any of those pre-made mixes from a box. This is the real deal - and worth the extra time it may take to prepare for a rich and wonderful taste - and for the memories.

Note: You can use any kind of milk but these recipes were prepared with whole raw milk for the best taste!

Vovo's Rice Pudding (Note: "Vovo" is Portuguese for 'grandmother')

The secret to creamy rice pudding, my grandmother always said, is the rice. She always used short or medium grain rice in this recipe.

• 4 1/2 c. water
• zest of 1 large lemon (cut in long thin strips)
• Pinch of salt
• 2 c short or medium grain rice
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups scalding hot milk (whole milk)
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In large pan bring water, salt and lemon zest to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and steep lemon zest for 10 minutes. You can remove the lemon zest, but I like to keep them in for extra flavor.

Bring water to a rolling boil again and add rice. Adjust heat to a low simmer. Cook rice in a simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes until all water is absorbed. Add 1 cup of the hot milk and stir very gently until all milk is absorbed. Continue to add the milk, 1 cup at a time, each time stirring gently. When adding the last cup of milk mix in sugar, butter, egg yolks and &frac; teaspoon of cinnamon. Cover, and with low heat, cook for 15- 20 minutes, gently stirring occasionally to make sure pudding is not burning at the bottom of the pan.

You'll know when the pudding is done when it is very creamy. My grandmother's test for doneness was to put a wooden spoon in the center of the pan. If it stands up without falling over it's done!

Pour pudding into individual bowls. The traditional Portuguese way to decorate rice pudding is to use ground cinnamon to create various designs such as grids or swirls. You can also get creative and use a doily as a template and sprinkle cinnamon on top to create a design through the holes. Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 4-6

Mingau de Milho - Cornmeal Pudding

• 5 cups of whole milk
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves (about 5 or 6 individual cloves)
• 1/2 cinnamon stick

Pour cold milk into large pan; add cornmeal, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir well while cold to dissolve cornmeal completely. Turn on heat to low and add honey; allow to simmer, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Allow to simmer 5-7 minutes until pudding become thick. Pour into large bowls (one bowl will inevitably get the cinnamon stick!)

Best served warm, but can be chilled.

Serves 4-6

Plain (And Not So Plain) Vanilla Pudding

I make this simple vanilla pudding recipe quite a bit for my kids. It's almost as easy to make as boxed instant pudding. While its wonderful plain, you can jazz it up by adding fresh strawberries, blueberries, peaches or mandarin oranges. For toppings try some chopped toasted walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds. I like to top it with a mixture of sour cream and maple syrup with a dusting of ground nutmeg. For chocolate pudding mix in 1-2 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate (more if you want it more chocolate-ty)

• 4 cups fresh whole raw milk (for the best taste!)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-2 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate (optional)

Gently heat 3 cups of the milk in a large pan. Stir in the sugar and salt.

In a small bowl combine 1 cup of milk and the cornstarch. Set aside. When milk is very hot (do not boil) add the cornstarch mixture and sugar. Continue to cook and stir constantly until the pudding is very thick. Once thick, continue to cook 3-4 minutes more, stirring constantly. If making chocolate pudding add bittersweet chocolate and stir well until dissolved. Cool and add vanilla.

Makes 4-6 servings

About the author: Marcia Passos Duffy is a freelance writer & the publisher of The Heart of New England free weekly online magazine (www.TheHeartofNewEngland.com), which celebrates the unique character of Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont. Subscribe today to her free online newsletter for more recipes, contests, insider travel stories & more! Send a blank email to heartofnewengland-subscribe@yahoogroups.com