A-Z CHRISTMAS STEEPED IN TRADITIONS

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IS FOR MINCE PIES, MIDNIGHT MASS, MULLED WINE

     When biting into a rich mince pie, topped with a healthy dollop of brandy butter, thought is seldom given to the religious symbolism and long history of the humble festive treat.  Dating back to returning soldiers of the Crusades and inspired by Middle Eastern cooking that combined spices, fruit and meat, the mincemeat filling of the pie was a tasty way to preserve the meat.

     Over time the mixture came to include less and less meat and become a sweet rather than savoury treat.  The pie was originally much larger and shaped like a crib, or a manger, with its connotations to the birth of Jesus.  Old recipes also included 13 ingredients, which represented Christ and his Apostles, and three middle eastern spices - cloves, cinnamom and nutmet - representing the three gifts brought by the wise men.  The recipes today are not so strict and vary widely, containing different mixtures of fruit, alcohol and spices.  The pies themselves come in different shapes and sizes.  However, a superstition is that a mince pie should be eaten on each of the twelve days of Christmas to bring good luck in the coming year.


From English Home Magazine