The Proof is in the Pudding

"The proof is in the pudding" is one of my favorite idioms.

Imagine two cooks who are arguing about the best way to make a pudding. For hours, they argue about which recipe is best. Then someone comes along and says, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating".

This old proverb suggests that arguing about a recipe is meaningless. If you really want to know which pudding is best, you're going to have to taste them both! The taste of each pudding will tell you which one is best.

Over the years, the proverb "The proof of the pudding is in the eating" has been shortened to "The proof is in the pudding." It basically means: It's the end result that's important. The method you use to get there . . . not so much. If the end result is good, then your method must have been sound (effective).

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