4th January - Mince-Pie
During the end of the sixteenth and start of the seventeenth centuries, Puritans started to question about the way Christmas was celebrated. They saw it as a Popish Festival that had no connection to the Bible or God. Many of the traditions that had been carried out during the celebrations over past years as a connection to the Devil and wanted them stopped. However at court, Christmas still carried on as it was expected with plays, dancing and whatever other entertainent could be provided.
Nearly everthing changed once Puritans took over, most things were seen as Demonic and a sacrilege. The giving and receiving of gifts, dressing in fine clothes and any type of feasting was all forbidden and if caught a fine was to be paid. There were no carols, no prayers or sermons in Churches and no hanging of any evergreens, if so a penalty was given. Also no plum pudding or Nativity Pie were to be made. Parliment had ordered that all shops had to stay open over Christmas, anyone breaking the law would get a fine or imprisonment. Due to everyone being attached to the old traditions of Christmas, riots broke out threating those that opened their shops on Christmas.
When Charles II reinstated the monarchy, he brought back most of the Christmas traditions that had been banned. Carols though didn't survive and wouldn't come back until the Victorian age, but the rest of the Twelve Day celebrations would return and be enthusiastically welcomed by the general populous. Churches were once more decorated with evergreens and Christmas food traditions were allowed. There was also singing, dancing, music, drinking and games, everyone celebrated as though Christmas had never been away.
Due to the ban of plum pudding and Nativity pies, they soon reappeared but smaller in size and became known as Mince Pies.
Below is a genuine Tudor Mince Pie recipe for you to try at home;
Ingredients:
8oz lean mutton or beef
Cooked chopped onion
Sliced carrot
A chopped stick of celery
A bay leaf and seasoning
8oz beef suet
8oz currents
8oz raisins
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/2 level tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 level tsp cinnamon
1 rounded tsp salt
2 well rounded tsp of dark brown sugar
Finely grated zest of an orange
6 tbsp of rose water and sweet sherry
11/2 lbs shortcrust pastry
Method:
I. Cover the meat halfway with water and simmer very gently for about 6 hours until tender.
II. Remove bay leaf and leave everything else in the pot to cool completely.
III. Skim off the solidified fat and keep the stock as a base for soup.
IV. Chop the meat very finely and add it to the rest of the ingredients, except the sherry and rose water.
V. Leave in the refrigerator overnight for the flavours to develop.
VI. The following day stir the mixture, adding in the sherry and enough rose water to moisten the mixture without making it too wet.
VII.Roll out the shortcrust pastry as thinly as possible and rut rounds to the correct size for your pie tin.
VIII. Fill the rounds with plenty of lamb mixture, squeezing it down a little as it will shrink during cooking.
IX. Moisten the edges of the lids with a little cold water and place over the filling.
X. Crimp around the tops to seal well.
XI. Prick a couple to times with a skewer and glaze well with a beaten egg.
XII. Bake in the centre of a hot oven at 220 degrees for about 20-25 mins until golden and sizzling.
XIII.Serve warm or cold, and enjoy!
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