Mince pie

An individual mince pie

An American mince pie

A mince pie (sometimes also minced, minced meat, or mincemeat pie) is a British festive sweet pastry, traditionally 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 mince tarts. Mince pies are filled with mincemeat – a preserve typically containing apple, dried fruits such as raisins and sultanas, spices, and either suet or vegetable shortening. Modern mince pies typically do not contain any meat, but because suet is raw beef or mutton fat, mince pies made with suet are not suitable for vegetarians. Individual mince pies are usually 6–7.5 cm in diameter, although larger mince pies, suitable for slicing, may also be baked.

History

The origins of the mince pie lie in the medieval chewet (also spelled chewette), which was a fried or baked pastry containing chopped liver and other meats mixed with boiled eggs and ginger. Dried fruit and other sweet ingredients would be added to the chewet's filling for variety.

By the 16th century mince or "shred" pie was considered a Christmas speciality, although 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 were replaced by suet, and by the 19th century meat was no longer generally used in the "mince" in either Britain or North America. Though traditional suet pies are still made, they are no longer the dominant form.

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, which replace the pastry lid with a Victoria sponge topping; they are baked in a large square tin and cut into slices or as individual pieces in a bun tin
• the mincemeat pasty (similar in apperance to a Cornish pasty)

The mince pie in popular culture

• In Great Britain, and other countries, such as Ireland, mince pies are seen as a favourite food of Father Christmas. Children leave one or two mince pies on a plate at the foot of the chimney (along with a small glass of brandy, sherry or milk, and a carrot for the reindeer) as a thank you for filling their stockings.
• The government of Pitt the Younger formed on 18 December 1783 was satirically dubbed the mince-pie administration as it was widely believed that it would not last until Christmas.

External links

• Pie Club Mince Pie Reviews for 2008
• Which? Magazine Mince Pie Reviews for 2008