Sunday, December 5, 2010

What’s in a Mince Pie?


by Nina Croft

**Congratulations to Jennifer Mathis, winner of Nina Croft's giveaway!**

I’m English, and although I tend to write aimed at the American market, my characters are usually English and my stories tend to be set in England. So when my fantastic critique group, Passionate Critters, decided to write an anthology of Christmas stories and base them all around the fictional American town of Five Oaks, I knew I was venturing into alien territory.

I’ve had to become aware of the differences between American English and what we speak back home. It’s not just spelling, like realised and realized, but also actual words. We have lifts, Americans have elevators, we have pavements they have sidewalks. Jumpers are sweaters, cafes are diners, and bonnets are hoods.

And it goes deeper, to the food we eat and the way we celebrate certain festivals. So when I was writing my Christmas story, Mid-Winter Magic, it came as no surprise to discover that there are also big differences between English and American Christmas traditions.

“What’s a mince pie, Nina?”

One of my critique group asked me this question after reading my story. I was shocked—mince pies are a huge Christmas tradition in England. But a bit of research later, and yes—it’s true—Americans do not eat mince pies at Christmas. In fact, it seems many Americans don’t even know what a mince pie is.

When I was young, my parents would always leave a mince pie and a glass of sherry out for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve (and don’t forget the carrot for the reindeer), as a thank you for delivering the presents.

Another custom is that if you eat a mince pie every day from Christmas to Twelfth Night you will have happiness for the next twelve months. The perfect excuse for indulging.

In my story, the heroine, Dina, is a witch who has been hiding out in Five Oaks for the last fifty years. She’s been doing some typically unwitchy things while in hiding and one of them is learning to bake. And she’s quite good at it—go to any bake sale in Five Oaks and Dina’s cakes and pies will be among the best there.

As a witch, Dina never really celebrated Christmas. Her family was more into celebrating the mid-winter fire festival of Yule, where they would burn an oak log and dance around it in celebration of the rebirth of the sun. But still, growing up in England, it was hard not to take in the customs, and like me, Dina has fond memories of English Christmases. It therefore stands to reason that one of the things she would bake at Christmas time is mince pies.

So, the good people of Five Oaks now know what Father Christmas is munching when he sits down to his mince pie. But do you?

If you’d like to have a go at baking your own mince pies, you can find the recipe HERE

I left England a few years back and now live on an almond farm in the remote mountains of Southern Spain. Over here, the customs are different as well. Spanish children don’t get their presents until January 6th, and they are delivered, not by Father Christmas, but by the three kings, los Reyes Magos. And here, the traditional Spanish Christmas treat is turron, or almond candy.

But I still have happy memories of Christmas in England, and I still eat mince pies.

Leave a comment and let me know what your favorite Christmas food is from your part of the world and get a chance to win a free copy of my novella, Mid-Winter Magic, some Nina Croft goodies, traditional Spanish turron, and some luxury mince pies—decadence guaranteed!

**To Celebrate our '8 Crazy Nights', Decadent Publishing will also be giving the winner one FREE book of their choice from Decadent Publishing**

And check out what else is going on in Five Oaks where a few other couples are having a very Passionate Christmas.

Nina Croft

Find Nina:

ninacroft@hotmail.com

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67 comments:

  1. Cinnamon rolls! Cinnamon rolls! CINNAMON ROLLS! There is no Christmas without cinnamon rolls. I have no idea if it's regional...but it is familial!

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  2. Two things came to mind, sugar cookies and luscious strawberry cheesecake.

    I love the idea of a heroine named Dina, who is a witch that loves to bake.

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  3. I love helping my friends celebrate Christmas and always look forward to the spiral-sliced ham. It's really the only chance I ever get to eat it. :) Happy holidays!

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  4. Ohhhhh, so that's what a mince pie is! LOL. Thanks for the pick. Now I have to find myself some! Great post, Nina! Makes me want to come to England for Christmas...almost.

    And now I know why Dina eats mince pies around Christmas. * wink *

    Happy Passionate Christmas!

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  5. ive never eatin a mince pie but they soundgreat and for me my fav dish is mashed potatoes and gravey and honey glazed ham

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  6. Maureen - never had cinnamon rolls - but you've persuaded me to try them - might have to bake them myself though which could be a bit dodgy - unlike Dina, baking is not a strong point of mine!

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  7. Kathleen - I absolutely love Strawberry cheesecake - I'll definitely be eating some of that over Christmas!

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  8. Deena - spiral sliced ham - I have no clue what that is - must go look!

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  9. Glad you're enjoying it, Baldwin -keep popping by!

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  10. Hello Nina

    Decadence? I have been known to wear a paper hat with my brown ale and eat THREE pork pies.

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  11. Clarissa - don't find some, bake some!

    A Happy Passionate Christmas to you too!

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  12. SiNn - more ham! I must look into this. And definitely try the mince pies - they're yummy!

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  13. I love the way the two languages differ...and the way that American literature and TV mean that it's difficult not to use American terms in the UK. I often find myself saying sidewalk rather than pavement, and garbage can instead of dustbin. I'm not keen on mince pies, but gingerbread with brandy butter....mmmm. Actually, most things go well with brandy butter. And I think the best dessert I've eaten in the US is pecan pie.

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  14. Three pork pies,DW! Wow what a man!

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  15. Anne - I actually think it's easier for us Brits than the other way around, because we do watch so much American TV. I wonder how much Brit stuff they get over there?
    Enjoy the brandy butter.

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  16. LOL it is amazing how traditions differ between countries -- let alone continents!
    I'm German, so my Christmas Eve is Christmas. Not the 25th, that's (for me) fake Christmas.
    We don't do mince pies either. (Or flaming Christmas Pudding, for that matter, though I like watching it burn.)
    No. Home baked cookies and a proper Stollen for me, thank you very much. (And if you need a recipe for Stollen -- go to my blog, it's on there. A Non-Marzipan version.)
    Ya think Dina would like Stollen? :) I guess it would be wasted on Ty!

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  17. Joanna,
    Does flaming figgy pudding have figs in it by any chance? Must go look it up. We grow loads of figs here and I'm always looking for recipes.

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  18. Silke- I'm sure Dina would love Stollen. But why no marzipan? Marzipan is made out of almonds, and we have to all do what we can to improve the almond market!

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  19. It's funny to see my name also Dina so much here, usually it's just me, lol.

    I want to read your book even more now because I think it's be more fun for me to see my name in it and vision this me, lol. But I have never had minced pie myself

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  20. I've never had mince pie, but read about it all the time, even as a kid. I do love all manner of holiday treats though! We have friends who usually make those thin sugar cookies--addictively delicious!

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  21. Hey, Dina - great name!
    Never had a mince pie? About time you tried one then!

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  22. I love mince pie and really enjoy many of the English holiday customs. Thanks for sharing this in your post!

    Jamaica Layne

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  23. Ilove Chocolate Pie with mile-high meringue. I love traditional US Christmas menu.
    Thanks!

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  24. My husband's grandmother makes molasses cookies every year and gives them to family in the tin. We eat a ham and potato dinner with lots of relishes in the relish tray.

    My favorite thing around the holidays is probably a corn bake, which I've no idea how to make, but it has corn, cheese, eggs and other ingredients. I look forward to it each year.

    And congrats on the release Nina.

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  25. I love Christmas cookies--all different kinds, lots of wonderful tastes. Generally, we make many different types of sweets during the holidays: sugar cookies, raspberry squares, chocolate chip cookies, fudge, peppermint squares, shortbread cookies, and the list goes on and on. I'd better stop and go start baking!

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  26. Okay if we are talking about non-dessert items, my favorite is chicken yakisoba from Japan. Delicious, nutritious and highly addictive.

    If we are talking about dessert, it would have to be good old fashioned peach cobbler from deep south Georgia USA. Can't beat it!

    Happy Holidays!

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  27. never had a minced pie either though I can remember my granny eating it . For me it's the oatmeal raisin cookies yum yum
    meandi09@yahoo.com

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  28. My b-i-l LOVES mincemeat pie.
    I LOVE Christmas cookies and look forward to baking (and eating them) every year!

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  29. My favorite is the peanut butter pie with a chocolate crust and chocolate on the top. And I love turkey since we only eat it at Christmas and Thanksgiving.

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  30. Hi Jamaica - thanks for commenting and hope you enjoy those English customs this year

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  31. Flchen1 - if you've never tried mince pies - this year have a go!

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  32. rbooth43 - I love anything with chocolate!

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  33. Rachel - I love the sound of the corn bake - anything with cheese in and I love it - you don't have a recipe do you?

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  34. LSUReader - hey stop - you're making me hungry!

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  35. Carlie - delicious and nutritious - hmm sounds too good to be true - I shall have to look into this one.

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  36. Jennifer and Jennifer - cookies definitely sound a big thing in the US - I love triple chocolate chip myself.

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  37. Kathy - I've got to say that so far this one sounds my favorite 'peanut butter pie with a chocolate crust and chocolate on the top'. Two lots of chocolate!

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  38. There's nothing like Chanukah latkes during the holidays, smothered in applesauce or sour cream...yum!

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  39. We always have Christmas cookies. It's a mess and lots of fun and puts us all in the holiday spirit.

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  40. Sheila - I'm sure it's delicious, but I have absolutely no clue what a Chanukah latkes is - I'm off to google it now!

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  41. ps9906 - more Christmas cookies - I'm definitely going to look into this - I like mess!

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  42. I like "sarmale" and eclere...


    raluk.93 at gmail (Dot) com

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  43. Sugar cookies in the shapes of Santa, trees, stars, reindeer, sleighs------either decorated or not.

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  44. Pinkstuffe28 - another one I've never heard of Sarmale - no clue at all!

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  45. Estella - yup - those sugar cookies are popular over there!

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  46. Cyndi Steward - One of the best memories was when I served a Char Roast from Buckhorn Grill! It was SO Yummy!

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  47. In South Florida, instead of turkey or ham, many of the Cuban families eat roast suckling pig. We used to order one from our local Cuban bakery and we'd usually be the only family on the list with an Irish surname instead of an Hispanic one.

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  48. I love the stuffing that is served. There have been different variations of it, cornbread, sour dough, etc. And I love the fact that I don't have to cook it.

    lenikaye@yahoo.com

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  49. Oh, my Cyndi Steward commented, YAY! (she is one of the sponsors of our Grand Prize--see above!).

    Being very American, I've grown up with a varied mass;a holiday tradition mash-up. I had a German step-Grandma who did the stollens and ginger cookies (although, the anise cookies I just could NOT hack), the Bachelor Buttons and gigantic holiday dinner.

    My English/Irish/Scottish/Swiss side did the rum balls (yummmm), fruitcake (we have a non-citrine variety I like), and mom does the candycane twist cookies I love. (1 rope white sugar cookie/1 rope red sugar cookie w/peppermint extract twisted into a candycane shape and baked).

    I love the Jewish Latkes and the Mexican wedding cakes. My mom used to make 'Green Tomato Mincemeat' pie which I really liked.

    I enjoy the varied holiday traditions from around the world! So much fun! (and I have a yummy recipe for the spiral ham...email me!)

    Heather
    @Decadent Publishing

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  50. We love this time of year because we save our fried cajun turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My hubby is from New Mexico and occasionally we'll make tamales when we visit relatives and can buy New Mexico green chiles. As for desserts...wow, hard choice...I'd have to say it's between chocolate fudge pie or chocolate-peanut butter fudge. I'd love to try to make a mince pie though!

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  51. Christmas cookies are my favorite. We have them in every shape and type you can imagine. They are soo delicious.
    debby236 at att dot net

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  52. Thanks for the link to the recipe!

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  53. I love fruit cake and when my friends get one they give to me as they do not like fruit cakes, I guess that means I am strange. Fruit cakes and mince pie are my favorites this time of year. susan Leech garysue@dejazzd.com

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  54. Nina, love these Christmas and holiday stories! Love those small towns that become so real when we read them, that we want to go visit them! I learned so much from you reading this! My mom and Dad ate Mince Pie and cooked it bunches. I think she learned from my dad's family that came from Poland? I have to check! So may have to do with that too like you? But I never tried it. We teased my mom and dad that they only made it for themselves. Maybe I should try for my hubby (or rather have my daughter cook it, she's better, LOL) We tho, make a White Christmas Pie EVERY Christmas when I was growing up! I so loved Christmas Eve with my grandma making them! My sister does it mostly now, and I'm missing my family so much, so I must go email about this Christmas Pie! It was so fun reading your post and looking forward to this book!

    cathiecaffey @ gmail.com

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  55. Not sure when contest ends, but have to add anyway. Everyone has heard of carrot cake (at least in USA...I should think), but my Aunt Jeannie makes the best on the planet. No, really it's that good. Not sure if she uses a box mix, but it has fresh carrots, nuts, and all sorts of other goodies in it (yes, it kinda of leaves one guessing. I expect that it chances each time she makes it, like all good homemade food, even stews and soups). Then there is the from-scratch cream cheese icing she comvers it in. Not a low-cal food, and one of the reasons this is a holiday treat! But so good we will travel extra far to get it!

    vickykerr[at]sbcglobal.net

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  56. Cyndi - Char roast sounds absolutely delicious

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  57. JenM - Suckling pig is a Christmas treat here in Spain - the supermarkets are full of them this time of year. We cooked it a couple of times when we've had people over for the holidays - it's way too much food for just the two of us.

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  58. Leni - I love stuffing as well - we tend to make it with sausage meat and sage and onion for Christmas - it's yummy!

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  59. Hi Heather - I think that must be one of the great things about America - it there's such a huge mix of cultures which must make for some fascinating and varied traditions.
    And I'll be emailing you for that spiral ham recipe!

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  60. Chelle - I adore Mexican food and the Chocolate peanut butter fudge sounds divine - I might be asking for a recipe!

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  61. Debbie - I can see I'm going to have to make some Christmas cookies!

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  62. Susan - hope your friends send you lots of fruit cake!

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  63. Caffey - sorry you're missing your family - but Christmas is such a family time. Not sure what White Christmas Pie is - another one for me to google!

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  64. Thanks for all the posts - I've got some great ideas of new things to try this Christmas - I'm going to be so huge at the end of it all!

    Happy Christmas wherever you are in the world

    Nina!

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  65. Oh, that sounds yummy! My favorite Christmas food is...hmm...there are so many to pick from! I guess I'd go with dressing. Or maybe dumplings. I'd rather pick both. ;-)

    Great blog and it's always fascinating to me to learn about the different customs between countries. All the best of success with your anthology!

    ~huggles~
    Gracen

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