Defend the undefensible: Mince Pies

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We got a load in for our work's Board meeting. None were eaten. None of the 10 people in the room like them. Nor do any of the staff. I realised that I don't know anyone who likes mince pies; does anyone?

And they don't have mince either. S'all currants and fruit rubbish.

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:27 (twenty-two years ago)

they are disgusting cold, but not bad heated and with whatever creamy substance is supposed to go with them (erm, cream?)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:29 (twenty-two years ago)

In a recent e-mail I just Markelby what a mince pie was. Enlighten me please.

― Viva La Sam (thatgirl), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Mince pies are fantastic... for about two bites. Then they suddenly become intensely sickening.

Obv the solution is little bite-sized minimince pies.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Mmmmm, mince pies are lovely. Especially the ones my gran made, before she died - the pastry was just right. Shop-bought ones aren't usually very good, it's true.

Last night I was watching some TV show on Christmas food, and lots of the chefs on it said they eat *fried* Christmas pudding for breakfast on Boxing Day. Has anyone else heard of this mentalism?

― caitlin (caitlin), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

WHAT THE HELL IS A MINCE PIE??

― Viva La Sam (thatgirl), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:32 (twenty-two years ago)

mmmmm (but only if hot)

http://www.allbaking.net/ch/2002/october/jocpiesandtarts2.jpg

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

my parents used to make mince w/out any meat, I'm not sure what was in them. I was addicted! And I had forgotten about them until now. Now I'm craving them again.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

nobody's answered my question yet. :(

― Viva La Sam (thatgirl), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, as I recall, meatless mince pies are great.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Mince pie = pie made with mincemeat.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

what is mincemat? :(

― Viva La Sam (thatgirl), Thursday, 18 December 2003 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Mincemeat was originally a medieval (England) sweet, spicy mixture of chopped (minced) lean meat (usually beef, or beef tongue), suet and fruit. It was generally served as an entree. Gradually the meat content was reduced, and today the mixture contains nuts, dried fruit (raisins, apples, pears, citrus peel, etc.), beef suet, spices and brandy or rum, but no beef. Mincemeat is used primarily in pies and tarts.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

suet? bleah. sorry I asked.

― Viva La Sam (thatgirl), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:01 (twenty-two years ago)

They are nice when heated and served with custard. Everything tastes better with custard. Say it often, it's a mantra.

Custard = the sweet equivalent to ketchup. In my world.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

to confuse further minced beef or lamb is sometimes referred to as mincemeat too and this is what you get in shepherds pie, cottage pie, spaghetti bolognese and whatnot. none of these taste good with custard i grant you.

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Rumbled!

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

http://iquebec.ifrance.com/transformersgallery/Transformers%201/rumble2.jpg

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

The bestest mincemeat is made with venison. I like mincemeat, I do, and it's "indefensible" not "undefensible."

― andy, Thursday, 18 December 2003 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

ooh, get her...

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

THERE IS ACTUALLY MEAT IN MINCEMEAT?????????????? Excuse me, I am off to be sick.

― Allyzay, Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:10 (twenty-two years ago)

next you'll be telling me there's real meat in meatloaf

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:21 (twenty-two years ago)

No dildo's for that crazy hell-exiting bat

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

???

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Last night I was watching some TV show on Christmas food, and lots of the chefs on it said they eat *fried* Christmas pudding for breakfast on Boxing Day. Has anyone else heard of this mentalism?

Can't say I've heard of this particular culinary diversion but fruit pudding and dumpling (much like christmas pudding) are staples of a West of Scotland fry up.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

it took about 8 seconds before dave's post made sense, hahahaha

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I love mince pies, and I'm very much looking forward to Ed and Cabs having a mince-pies-with-real-mince cook-off which the stars have decreed is inevitable.

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Sam, I did reply to you btw, did you not get it?

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Mmm, mince pies. The bakery at Archway does these fantastic puff-pastry ones: not very trad, but so, so good. As long as they're warm, obv.

― cis (cis), Thursday, 18 December 2003 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

the english fucking fry everything, so fried pudding doesn't surprise me, because I had friend gnocchi in Brighton and what the hell is up with that?

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Thursday, 18 December 2003 22:32 (twenty-two years ago)

the english fucking fry everything

I parsed this as "the english fuck and fry everything".

I need to get off of the Internet.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 18 December 2003 22:35 (twenty-two years ago)

That's just Dastoor what does that.

― Allyzay, Thursday, 18 December 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

the english fucking fry everything

That's why our skin's so smooth and silky.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 18 December 2003 23:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, thinking about it, frying each and every component part would make Christmas dinner pretty nice....mmm....fried sprouts....also fried Xmas Pudding....mmmmm.....fried syllabub.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......fried drunk relatives........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.............fried my Auntie getting naked and doing her "special dance"........mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 19 December 2003 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i eat a lot of mince pies, of the meat variety (cos we need to make a differentiation. "Christmas mince pies" are the little ones with fruit in them, and yes, often covered in custard. Quite disgusting. Regular (year-round) mince pies have (what Americans call) ground beef and gravy in them, and are quite delicious. Australians, in particular, eat a lot of the latter.
They even have the "pie floater", which is when you have a (meat) mince pie served in a bowl of ham and pea soup, so the pastry and gravy slowly disintegrates into the soup...

― paulhw (paulhw), Friday, 19 December 2003 02:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey yous!
I'll teach yous some mannas!
I'm da tuffest guy in Joisey and I'm abbouta make mincemeat outta YOUS!

― Mr. Mincemeat, Friday, 19 December 2003 05:23 (twenty-two years ago)

they are so hard to get right. therefore classic. Foods are always classic if it involves toil (esp if the toil is someone else's).

WHAT THE HELL IS A MINCE PIE??

one of many things considered unsound by the Pilgrim Fathers, obv.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 19 December 2003 08:43 (twenty-two years ago)

we had carols round the wobs tree at work yesterday and the mince pies on offer then were truly awful. They were so structurally unsound that they fell apart radially a la Terrys choc orange leaving a puddle of ~~mudd~~ mincemeat in the centre (fortunately I had the foresight to put mine on a napkin when I picked it up). And they were far too fatty.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 19 December 2003 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Marks and Spencer lattice topped mince pies were very good on Sunday when JD and I got through a few - very good pastry.

I will be making some this weekend, but I've left it too late to make them with real mince, so I'm going to have to buy it instead :o(

They're my favourite traditional Xmas food I think, apart from Snow Queen (which = Cream, brandy, crushed meringue and sugar mixed together and frozen) which is probably only traditional in my family

― chris (chris), Friday, 19 December 2003 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Had some safeway luxury mince pies on Saturday. They were yum.

― robster (robster), Friday, 19 December 2003 10:11 (twenty-two years ago)

My mum made her own mincemeat one year and then the following year used supermarket X luxury brand and we decided that the additional hassle of making your own really isn't worth it (this is not a reflection on my mum's cooking as she is a great cook). Also I have never heard anyone called minced meat 'mincemeat', surely the distinction has been there for years & years?

― Emma, Friday, 19 December 2003 10:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Mince pies = lovely in general, BUT cheap and nasty sort grim on toast. Nicest ones I've had this year were Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Uber Luxury Buttery Boozefest ones. Top nums.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 19 December 2003 10:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Tescos luxury mince pies are rub, don't even bother. I have a packet of Mr Kipling waiting at home.

― Sarah (starry), Friday, 19 December 2003 10:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Mr Kipling used to be a bit meh. Too much sugar leading to a wierd, almost sour aftertaste.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 19 December 2003 10:22 (twenty-two years ago)

meh, however, has never been a bit Mr Kipling

most non-luxury mince pies are too sweet for my liking. As evidenced by the sugar on top.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 19 December 2003 10:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I admit I have been completely sold by the advertising. I shall be having the mince pies with some special xmas port just in case. RickyT OTM WRT the Sainsburys bouze-pies. Num-de-numnumNUUUUUUM. How many minces pies are really actually made with bouze in em these days? I suspect Kipling isn't.

― Sarah (starry), Friday, 19 December 2003 10:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Mr Kipling makes exceedingly teetotal cakes.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 19 December 2003 10:27 (twenty-two years ago)

WHAT THE HELL IS A MINCE PIE??

one of many things considered unsound by the Pilgrim Fathers, obv.

Everyone always says that mince pies are still technically illegal, due to an old 17th-century Puritan law that was never repealed. Does anyone know if this is actually true or not?

― caitlin (caitlin), Friday, 19 December 2003 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Mince pies (sweet type) are very nice - even the cheap ones! MMMmmmm...

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 19 December 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Absolutely no idea about their legal status. But I would lead any most righteous crusade to save the Mince Pie and take any naysaying Puritan to the pavement (unless they were really nails, then I might conceed that they have a point).

― Alex K (Alex K), Friday, 19 December 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

you'll be fine with Dave then.

― chris (chris), Friday, 19 December 2003 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes you've stretched the boundaries of indefensibility a bit with this one. They are ace.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Friday, 19 December 2003 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

eleven months pass...

it's mince pie season again. the on-campus spar is selling them.

something to smile about. very broadly.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 26 November 2004 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurrah! Undecided about whether to make my own or just to buy the buggers. Baking is quite therapeutic.

Also, if defense is really required: justification for pots of BRANDY BUTTER.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 26 November 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I love (fruit) mince pies!

― Just Kate (papa november), Friday, 26 November 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

recipe I saw the other day = baked alaska mince pies! these have to be tried

― Porkpie (porkpie), Friday, 26 November 2004 13:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Mmm, my nanna makes them with proper suet and the pastry tastes kinda meaty. Yum. Custard, cream *and* ice cream please. Please? It is Christmas...

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 26 November 2004 13:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Making mince pies is a REALLY good idea - I'm gonna do that this weekend.

Mine pies are great with custard, rubbihs by themselves. As was mentioned upthread, most stuff tastes better with custard. Stale cake can be rescued with lashings of custard.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Friday, 26 November 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

basically, it's fruitcake w/ meat.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 27 November 2004 05:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Except it doesn't Have meat. I've never had it with meat, anyway.

― Pears can just fuck right off. (kenan), Saturday, 27 November 2004 05:47 (twenty-one years ago)

And also, it's kinda nasty. Spiced fruit is apparently universally considered bad. It *sounds* good, but it never is.

― Pears can just fuck right off. (kenan), Saturday, 27 November 2004 05:47 (twenty-one years ago)

As was mentioned upthread, most stuff tastes better with custard.

That's the most English thing I've heard all day. Here in the states, we say that about bacon. Er... I do, anyway.

― Pears can just fuck right off. (kenan), Saturday, 27 November 2004 05:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Our homemade mincemeat (yes, featuring meat this year for the first time) should be ready for a first pie-making this coming weekend. I'm looking forward to it a lot.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 29 November 2004 11:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I had my first mince pie of the season yesterday, as I was a-baking them over the weekend. It was nice (when I made the filling I put in lots of booze, and I made them with flaky pastry instead of shortcrust). I made two dozen, but there are only three left now (I didn't scoff them all myself, in case you think I am a piggy)

― C J (C J), Monday, 29 November 2004 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

bacon tastes great with custard too, pears

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 29 November 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

What? Mince pies are made with real mince??? Surely not. Heave, I've never tried them before cause they look, to use the local vernacular, mince.

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Monday, 29 November 2004 12:12 (twenty-one years ago)

they used to be, yes, now it's just fruit and suet.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 29 November 2004 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, not for me then. The name put me off from the outset, rather like Mr Brains Faggots which I believe are still on sale in the frozen section of supermarkets.

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Monday, 29 November 2004 12:38 (twenty-one years ago)

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