925. Mince Meat for Christmas Pies

Mince pies are truly English. We find several recipes for them in King Richard II.'s cookery book, - a curious volume, reprinted from the original document in the last century, but compiled by that unfortunate monarch's French man-cook. The recipes would surprise Monsieur Soyer, though the work of a countryman of his own. Gobbet pies - for that was the name by which the modern mince pie was then known - were of several kinds: one for Lent was composed of fish and chopped seere (eggs); one for Christmas, with the addition of almonds, is much the same as the excellent one now presented to the readers of the "Home Circle" Take equal quantities of finely shred and chopped beef suet; cold roast beef, well roasted; currants, washed, dried, and picked; and raisins stoned and chopped; and apples, pared, cored, and chopped fine. Mix all these prepared ingredients well together, and sweeten with good moist Jamaica] sugar, to taste; grate off with loaf sugar the peel of two lemons, and grate in two nutmegs.

Having well mingled all these materials together, add to them in the proportion of your mince-meat, thus - If you have two pounds of every thing - namely, meat, suet, currants, raisins, and apples, and not quite two pounds of sugar, pour over the mixture a pint of rum, or French brandy, and half a pint of raisin wine. If on conscientious principles the spirits are disliked, raisin wine, of a fine quality, or Lisbon must be added; but the spirits will keep it three months. Fill a jar with your mince-meat, cram down as hard as possible, and cover with a close fitting lid, tied down with brown paper. In mixing the wine and spirits, let the ingredients all receive their part, hut be careful whenever you take out your meat, to cram down that in the jar with a spoon, and cover close. Line your tin dishes, which must be greased or buttered inside, either with puff paste made of equal weight of butter and flour, or with a family paste made with beef or hog's lard and a little fresh butter; fill with mince meat heaped up in the middle of your tin dish, cut slices of candied orange, lemon, and citron peel, and put on your meat, cover in with paste; mark prettily with a knife, and bake in a quick oven; heat them for table - for which the tin dishes give a facility, turn into a hot dish, and serve.

These pies are very convenient things, as they are quite good at a fortnight old, as the warming them makes them quite new again. Mince pies are at best not very digestible, therefore persons of delicate habit will be wise to relinquish them altogether. In giving this old English dainty to children great caution should be observed - in fact, none of the condiments prepared for Christmas fare are particularly wholesome, but the turkey and roast beef.

It was formerly the custom in England for married couples to keep the anniversaries of their wedding days, and on those occasions, as many small mince pies were placed on one dish, on the table, as the host and hostess had been married years.

926. Mince Meat Made At Duncomb Park

Four pounds of fillet of beef or ox-tongue chopped fine, four pounds of beef suet chopped fine, four pounds of sugar, two pounds of apples, three pounds of raisins chopped fine, six pounds of currants well washed, and picked, and dried, the peel of six lemons grated and the juice, an equal quantity of cloves, cinamon, nutmegs, and allspice, pounded and sifted fine; an equal quantity of citron, orange, and lemon peel, and a little salt; one pint of brandy, the same of white wine and port, mix all well together a week before wanted to use.

927. Mince Pie

Take two pounds of scraped beef free from skin and strings, four pounds of suet picked and chopped, six pounds of currants well cleaned and dried, three pounds of chopped apples, the peel and juice of two lemons, a pint of sweet wine, a nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of mace, and the same of pimento finely powdered; mix all well together, put it into a pari, and keep it covered in a dry, cool place. Put a little citron, orange, and lemon peel in the pies when made.

928. Mince Pies Without Meat

Take of currants, apples chopped fine, moist sugar, and suet well chopped, a pound of each, a quarter of a pound of raisins stoned and chopped small, the juice of four Seville oranges, the juice of two lemons, the rind of one shred fine, nutmeg and mace to suit the palate, and a glass of brandy. Mix all together, put it in a pan, and keep it closely tied up.