Clifton Thompson holds the finished product for our camera. - photos by Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

What is almost five inches thick, 171/2 inches wide, weighs in excess of 80 pounds and takes more than 19 hours to make? Clifton Thompson's giant sweet potato pudding, of course! Since December 2007, this returned resident of Grove Town in Manchester has been turning out these colossal puddings. Why?

"Because somebody asked me for a slice of pudding," he quipped. The real reason? Because it's fun, he enjoys cooking and he has a large family. "I like potato pudding. I learned from my mom. She would have loved to see this."

A dream come true

After spending 40 years abroad (12 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the rest in Toronto, Canada), Thompson's dream of returning home finally came true.

"I used to come back about two to three times each year," he told Lifestyle.

"I was homesick." The sixth of 14 children (the first 10 being boys), he had to learn to do basic household duties, including cooking and cleaning. As a child, he enjoyed when his mother baked. While abroad, Thompson baked potato and cornmeal puddings regularly. He usually made four or five 'miniature' puddings back then. He also loves cooking up some curried goat and fried fish. It's a toss-up between him and his wife of 42 years, Millicent, who does most of the cooking in the home.

The creation

Trevor Reid, who helped bake the pudding, admires his handiwork.

So what does it take to make such a large pudding? Thirty to 40 pounds of sweet potato which takes six hands 45 minutes to grate. Donald Chand, Anthony Silvera and Trevor Reid are always willing to lend theirs. Fifteen pounds of flour, five pounds of yellow yam, five coconuts, eight nutmegs, eight pounds of sugar and an assortment of spices and more.

For the first four hours, the pudding is baked at 350^oF, then the remaining hours at 250. The baking process usually lasts from 10:30 a.m. on the first day to 6 a.m. the following day. There is no shortage of takers for Thompson's pudding which is shared all across the community and at the Grove Town Seventh-day Adventist Church (literally next door) where he is a member. His first try at this colossal feat was not very successful as it got a bit burned, but he now has the recipe down to a science.

When Thompson is not in the kitchen, he can be found in his farm behind his house which is his pride and joy. This makes him pretty self-sufficient with an array of produce such as yellow yams, tomatoes, sweet cassava and, of course, sweet potatoes. He grows his crops without the aid of fertiliser. All he uses are grass for mulch.

And what's the best way to wash down a piece of potato pudding? With some freshly squeezed cane juice.

This father of three children with seven grandchildren epitomises the 'Jamaica, No Problem' maxim. He lives life to the fullest doing unto others as he would have them do unto him, letting kindness take him through the world without a penny.

Clifton Thompson slices into his large pudding while his helping hands (from left), Donald Chand, Anthony Silvera and Trevor Reid, anxiously wait to taste the fruit of their labour.

Yup, that's one large pudding. Clifton Thompson sees how his creation measures up as Donald Chand looks on.