Mince Pies - Too Soon?

[stop-wasting-food]

So my local supermarket now has a Christmas aisle and is selling mine pies (which go out of date in November)... I can't decide how I feel about this but my wife is outraged. Which makes me wonder - when do you think is an acceptable time for supermarkets to start sharing their Christmas wares?

 

[CraigC]

If they are anything like our Fruit Cake, they can be re-gifted for all eternity! Especially after they have been preserved with booze. But honestly, why would you buy pies instead of making them?

 

[stop-wasting-food]

If they are anything like our Fruit Cake, they can be re-gifted for all eternity! Especially after they have been preserved with booze. But honestly, why would you buy pies instead of making them?

Booze is an essential ingredient of any mince pie IMO

I like to make them (although I'm not very good at it) and would never consider re-gifting them (to anybody I like)!

 

[dragnlaw]

I agree with your wife Stop-W. Sept. is a bit too much. I understand stores make their profits in Nov/Dec and I sympathize with them... but there is a limit and I think Oct. should be max.

Many many years ago I made my own fruit cake and purchasing all those dried fruits was a$tounding! But then again purcha$ing premade is al$so pricey.

But you are talking about Mince Pies? They are not quite the same thing. I should think they would not have the shelf life of the Mince itself. I had a jar in my fridge that went thru 3 moves with me and was just as delish as the first day I opened it. Can't beat Cross & Blackwell.

 

[di reston]

I make my own mince pies and Christmas cakes. I also make my own mincemeat, which I'll be doing in the next two weeks or so, so it can mature before I use it. The Christmas cakes gets made six weeks before Christmas, thereafter it gets 'pickled' in brandy, in my case, or whisky or rum whatever your preference. By Chistmas it's delicious. So is the mincemeat. I stick to serving up my Christmas goodies during the twelve days of Christmas, after that, I find, we lose interest because by then we've had enough!

When I lived in the UK, I used to take 12 mince pies to each on my neighbours and all my friends, to bring them good fortune for each month of the coming year - a very old English custom. After that, I didn't really feel like eating or making mincepies for a long time!

di reston


Enough is never is never as good as a feast Oscar Wilde

 

[caseydog]

I don't want to see, hear or taste anything related to Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Preferably a good week after Thanksgiving. One holiday at a time, please.

CD

 

[buckytom]

If they are anything like our Fruit Cake, they can be re-gifted for all eternity!?

A 100 year old fruitcake was recently found in Antarctica, and it was deemed "almost edible".

100-Year-Old Fruitcake Found in Antarctica Is ?Almost? Edible


My local Acme supermarket put out their first Christmas-y thing last week: giant, cinnamon scented pine cones. It's wrong on several levels, not the least of which is that it's too early, but also the overpowering cinnamon smell burns your throat and eyes if you get too close to them.

Ho-ho-hold up with the Christmas stuff, already. And the cinnamon.

 

[di reston]

I totally agree with Caseydog. Fortunately, in Italy, the street decorations, shop windows full of Christmas stuff, Christmas food in the supermarkets, etc. get displayed much nearer to Christmas here. I don't like a prolonged Christmas either. The traditional 12 days (in the UK, and in many catholic countries) are quite enough, thanks. Not that we're miserly about it - we all have a ball! it's just that it doesn't last too long, all things considered. If I had a Thanksgiving to do as well, it would probably make me banish everything except Christmas Day, and even then I'd keep it simple!

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast Oscar Wilde

 

[Sagittarius]

ln late November, the hamlets & villages, towns and cities open their Christmas Markets, and the main shops and Central Markets begin to display their Xmas decorations and ítems for sale in late November through the week of December 9th ..

This goes on through the day of the Ephipany, January 6th and this is really the main holiday in Spain, as well as the 24th & 25th and then the 31st and 1st ..

September and October are over feed and excessive .. The streets of all cities and towns here begin decorating the last week of November or during our National Holidays of the 6th - 8th of December ..

 

[skilletlicker]

My mom used to make mincemeat pie but I was never a fan and haven't tasted it in over 50 years. Didn't know there was a Christmas connection.

 

[di reston]

A word or too about mince pies. According to my notes, these apeared in England some time in the 11th Century, when the Crusaders started to return from the Holy Land. They brought home a variety of oriental spices, amongst which were cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. These represented the three gifts presented to the Christ Child in the form of mince pies in honour of His birth. Originally, the mince pie was oblong in shape, representing the cradle, with a place on top to put the Christ Child. This was given to the children, and the pie - or manger - was eaten in celebration. It was generally considered lucky to eat one mince pie on each of the twelve days of Christmas, ending on Epiphany, 6th Jaunuary. The mince referred to in the name of the pie is a reference to the minced meat that became one of the ingredients at a later date - around 1540. Banned by Oliver Cromwell banned all Christmas celebrations, including the Christmas feast along the mince pies. These popular pies are much appreciated today, and are an important part of Christmas celebrations in a number of countries. Homemade mincemeat will keep extremely well for several years if stored in a cool dark place.

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast Oscar Wilde

 

[dragnlaw]

and another note to add... that there was at one time actual "meat" in Mincemeat Pies - but is no longer a part of modern recipes.