Mince Pies

Mince pies are a very tasty part of the Christmas/Xmas tradition! It is also common for children to leave a mince pie or two out for Santa on Christmas eve, often with a glass of something warming such as brandy. Somehow, these are always gone by the next morning...

What Are Mince Pies?

A mince pie is a sweet fruit pie, usually made with shortcrust pastry and often with sugar scattered across the pie top. They are usually made in individual sizes which can be consumed in a few bites.

Despite being sweet fruity treats, mince pies are made with something called "mincemeat".

What is Mincemeat?

Mincemeat contains no meat - a source of much confusion! In the US, mincemeat is known by the more accurate name "fruitmince".

Mincemeat contains chopped dried fruits such as raisins and apricots mixed with spices and, sometimes, alcohol. Vegetarians should be aware that the traditional recipe for mincemeat includes suet - check before you buy.

So if mincemeat contains no mince, why is it called mincemeat?

The History of the Mince Pie

The mince pie goes back hundreds of years - England's King Henry V was a great fan of them and was served a mincemeat pie at his coronation in 1413.

Originally the mince pie did contain meat - mincemeat was a way of preserving meat by mixing it with fruit, spices and alcohol. The initial mince pies were large rather than bite size. It is sometimes said that the large pies were cooked in an oblong dish and that the top often used to cave in. As a result the mince pie looked a little like a crib, in keeping with the Christian nativity story.

Over time the amount of meat in mincemeat was gradually reduced until it became the fruit only substance we know today. In addition, the pies became smaller. Apparently they were sometimes called "wayfarers' pies" because they were given to visitors over the Christmas period.

Today mince pies are big business and you can buy many varieties in the stores - not just at Christmas. Although they all appear similar they vary tremendously in quality. If you're after the ultimate mince pie then take a look at the reviews on the excellent Mince Pie Club site.

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