Advent day seven ... the history of mince pies!
See day 6 here
We all love a mince pie and they are an iconic festive food but where did they come from?
Mince pies date back to the middle ages and they were pretty different to the mince pies we eat today. I mean firstly they had actual mince meat in... but mixing spices and sweet ingredients with meat was common back then. The pastry pie bit was also more like a bowl rather than an edible piece of food, the pie casing was often stored for months becoming very hard in the process. Mince pies were also massive, made to feed multiple diners and not like the snacky type food we know today. Many pies had designs on such as a pastry Jesus or different shapes to impress guests.
By the 17th century Mince pies began being linked to Christmas, although at this point they were still being eaten all year round too. Samuel Pepys celebrated a friends anniversary with mince pies, they had 18 laid out for each year of their marriage.
A strange rumour developed around Oliver Cromwell and mince pies, apparently he banned them but actually this is not the case, he did ban holy day feasting which is where this rumour may have spread from. The rumours escalated years later with a rhyme even becoming popular;
“All Plums the Prophet's sons defy
“And Spice-broths are too hot
“Treason's in a December-pye
“And death within the pot.”
The myth that mince pies are still banned is also popular - I'm pretty sure my history teacher told me this - but it is not true, you are free to eat as many mince pies as you like!
The richer in society were the ones who ate mince pies - it was a status symbol. But by the 1800's when sugar became cheaper it became a more accessible food. Queen Victoria also aided the popularity of mince pies (and many other Christmas traditions!) It is also believed mince meat was not put in mince pies by the late 1700's as we see new recipes emerging without it.
In prohibition era Chicago mince pie filling was made with 14% alcohol in!! Suppose they had to get their Christmas drink somehow!
A custom from the middle ages says that if you eat a mince pie on every day from Christmas to Twelfth Night (evening of the 5th January) you will have happiness for the next 12 months! Might try that for 2021 ...
British children also commonly leave out mince pies for Father Christmas with a glass of brandy - I always used to do this... only us Brits could believe Santa could complete his special job after millions of glasses of alcohol!
Do you love or hate mince pies?
Comment below!
Rosie x
Comment below!
Rosie x
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