A mince pie (or mincemeat pie) is a traditional festive British sweet pastry, usually consumed during the Christmas and New Year period. Mince pies normally have a pastry top, but versions may also be found without the top in which case they are known as a mince tart.

Description

These small non meat festive pies, usually between 2 and 3 inches in diameter (5-7.5 centimetres), can be made using either sweet shortcrust pastry or puff pastry. The American version of the mince pie can be much larger (8-10 inches or 20-25 centimetres).

The name 'mincemeat' comes from the original recipe. Up to the Victorian era the mince(meat) pie would actually have been a spiced meat pie with some dried fruit. Today the only remnant of the original meat is the inclusion of suet. Typically fillings today consist entirely of fruit-based mincemeat containing dried fruit such as raisins, currants, glace cherries, apricot, candied peel; spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg; nuts such as walnuts or chopped almonds; suet; and some kind of alcohol, usually either brandy or rum. Mince pies are suitable for vegetarians only if the suet is replaced by vegetable fat.

Once cooked, the pie is often finished off with a delicate dusting of either castor sugar or icing sugar on top.

History

The origins of the mince pie begins with the medieval pastry, chewette which was either fried or baked. The "chewette" actually contained liver or chopped meat mixed with boiled eggs and ginger. Dried fruit and sweet ingredients would be added to the chewette's filling for variety.

By the 16th century 'mince' or shred pie was considered a Christmas speciality, but in the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell made the eating of mince pies on Christmas Day illegal. (This law was voted fourth "most ridiculous British law" in a 2007 poll.) In the mid-17th century the liver and chopped meat was replaced by suet, and meat products were no longer generally used in the 'mince' by the 19th century in both North America and Great Britain. Though traditional suet pies are still made, they are no longer the dominant form.

Traditions

Folklore states that mince pies are a favourite food of Father Christmas, and that one or two should be left on a plate at the foot of the chimney (along with a small glass of brandy, sherry or milk, and a raw carrot for the reindeer) as a thank-you for stockings well-filled.

Variations

Other variations include the mincemeat tart, similar in form and taste, save for the lack of a pastry top, as is the case for all kinds of tart.

Mincemeat Slices, are pretty much the same, instead of a pastry top use a Victora Sponge topping. Bake in a large square tin and cut into slices or as individual pies bake in a bun tin.

Mincemeat (a kind of sweet pastry similar to a Cornish pasty) are often made with leftover pastry and mincemeat, and can be consumed with custard, clotted cream or ice-cream.

Regional Variations

The Amish variety often contains pork, beef or sausage.

Hérault

The 'petit pâté de Pézenas', a local speciality of the French town of Pézenas, Hérault département, is similar in content to the original British mince pie.

Mince pie in popular culture

• Mince pies is also cockney rhyming slang for 'eyes' (usually shortened to 'minces' or 'mincers').
• The Guinness World Record holder for the fastest eating of three mince pies, 2.5" in diameter and commercially available, is Barry Donovan of Suffolk, UK, and stands at 23 seconds as of February 13, 2006.

External links

• Mince Pie Club :: 2007 Reviews & Winner, Pie Chat and more

Notes