Re: Christmas Bingo - Eighth numbers are up
Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 7:42 pm
Tonight's numbers are:
16. Mince Pies
A mince pie is a fruit-based mincemeat sweet pie of British origin that is traditionally served during the Christmas season. The early mince pie was known by several names, including mutton pie, shrid pie and Christmas pie. Typically its ingredients were a mixture of minced meat, suet, a range of fruits, and spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Served around Christmas, the savoury Christmas pie (as it became known) was associated with supposed Catholic "idolatry" and during the English Civil War was frowned on by the Puritan authorities. Nevertheless, the tradition of eating Christmas pie in December continued through to the Victorian era, although by then its recipe had become sweeter and its size reduced markedly from the large oblong shape once observed. Today the mince pie remains a popular seasonal treat enjoyed by many across the United Kingdom.
The ingredients for the modern mince pie can be traced to the return of European crusaders from the Holy Land. Middle Eastern methods of cooking, which sometimes combined meats, fruits and spices, were popular at the time. Pies were created from such mixtures of sweet and savoury foods; in Tudor England, shrid pies (as they were known then) were formed from shredded meat, suet and dried fruit. The addition of spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg was, according to the English antiquary John Timbs, "in token of the offerings of the Eastern Magi." Early pies were much larger than those consumed today, and oblong shaped rather than round.
The modern mince pie's precursor was known by several names. In Elizabethan and Jacobean-era England they were known as minched pies, but other names include mutton pie, and starting in the following century, Christmas pie. One recipe from 1615 recommends taking "a leg of mutton", and cutting "the best of the flesh from the bone", before adding mutton suet, pepper, salt, cloves, mace, currants, raisins, prunes, dates and orange peel. During the English Civil War, along with the censure of other Catholic customs, they were banned: "Nay, the poor rosemary and bays, and Christmas pie, is made an abomination." Puritans were opposed to the Christmas pie, on account of its connection with Catholicism
Although the modern recipe is no longer the same list of 13 ingredients once used (representative of Christ and his 12 Apostles according to author Margaret Baker), and lacks the religious meaning contained therein, the mince pie remains a popular Christmas treat.
Mincemeat pie was brought to New England by English settlers in the 17th century. While it was originally a Christmas pie, as in Britain, the Puritans did not celebrate Christmas, causing the pie's associations in the region to shift toward the American holiday of Thanksgiving. The ingredients for New England mincemeat pie are similar to the British one, with a mixture of apples, raisins, spices, and minced beef serving as the filling. Later recipes sometimes omit the beef, though "None Such" (now owned by The J.M. Smucker Company), the major brand of condensed American mincemeat, still contains beef. New England mincemeat pies are usually full-sized pies, as opposed to the individual-sized pies now common in Britain.
17. Mistletoe
Mistletoe is a plant that grows on willow and apple trees. The tradition of hanging it in the house goes back to the times of the ancient Druids. It is supposed to possess mystical powers which bring good luck to the household and wards off evil spirits. It was also used as a sign of love and friendship in Norse mythology.
When the first Christians came to Western Europe, some tried to ban the use of Mistletoe as a decoration in Churches, but many still continued to use it! York Minster Church in the UK used to hold a special Mistletoe Service in the winter, where wrong doers in the city of York could come and be pardoned.
Mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration, though such use was rarely alluded to until the 18th century. According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas. It may remain hanging throughout the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it is replaced the following Christmas Eve.
The name mistletoe comes from two Anglo Saxon words 'Mistel' (which means dung) and 'tan' (which means) twig or stick. Mistletoe was also hung on the old English decoration the Kissing Bough.
The best-known mistletoe tradition is the kissing one – hanging mistletoe high in a room and kissing loved ones, or complete strangers, beneath it, is hugely popular Christmas custom. The original custom was that a berry was picked from the sprig of Mistletoe before the person could be kissed and when all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing!
It is a very ‘British’ traditionally only practised abroad in English-speaking countries (USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc), though becoming popular everywhere in recent decades.
Mid-winter mistletoe customs in continental Europe have traditionally included seeing mistletoe as a plant of peace and luck. In France it was often given as a Porte Bonheur - a gift for luck, particularly for the New Year, rather than at Christmas. This association with peace may have origins as ancient as the kissing custom, as the plant is associated with peace in the Norse, Greek and Roman traditions about mistletoe. The peace association was a tradition in Britain too at one time, though it has become eclipsed by the kissing custom feature.
During the First World War embroidered ‘silk’ postcards sent from the Front at Christmas often depicted mistletoe, perhaps emphasising mistletoe’s value both as a symbol of peace and as a message for loved ones.
In Britain, mistletoe is the only native plant with white berries and the Mistle Thrush is named after mistletoe, as this is the bird’s favourite food.
Tenbury Wells, a town fairly local to where we live, is the centre of the holly and mistletoe trade in England, holding auctions of these seasonal plants in late November and early December. The plant is common in this area, as it grows widely on apple trees which are prevalent in the orchards of the Midlands.
Winston Graham reports a Cornish tradition that mistletoe was originally a fine tree from which the wood of the Cross was made, but afterwards it was condemned to live on only as a parasite.
16. Mince Pies
A mince pie is a fruit-based mincemeat sweet pie of British origin that is traditionally served during the Christmas season. The early mince pie was known by several names, including mutton pie, shrid pie and Christmas pie. Typically its ingredients were a mixture of minced meat, suet, a range of fruits, and spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Served around Christmas, the savoury Christmas pie (as it became known) was associated with supposed Catholic "idolatry" and during the English Civil War was frowned on by the Puritan authorities. Nevertheless, the tradition of eating Christmas pie in December continued through to the Victorian era, although by then its recipe had become sweeter and its size reduced markedly from the large oblong shape once observed. Today the mince pie remains a popular seasonal treat enjoyed by many across the United Kingdom.
The ingredients for the modern mince pie can be traced to the return of European crusaders from the Holy Land. Middle Eastern methods of cooking, which sometimes combined meats, fruits and spices, were popular at the time. Pies were created from such mixtures of sweet and savoury foods; in Tudor England, shrid pies (as they were known then) were formed from shredded meat, suet and dried fruit. The addition of spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg was, according to the English antiquary John Timbs, "in token of the offerings of the Eastern Magi." Early pies were much larger than those consumed today, and oblong shaped rather than round.
The modern mince pie's precursor was known by several names. In Elizabethan and Jacobean-era England they were known as minched pies, but other names include mutton pie, and starting in the following century, Christmas pie. One recipe from 1615 recommends taking "a leg of mutton", and cutting "the best of the flesh from the bone", before adding mutton suet, pepper, salt, cloves, mace, currants, raisins, prunes, dates and orange peel. During the English Civil War, along with the censure of other Catholic customs, they were banned: "Nay, the poor rosemary and bays, and Christmas pie, is made an abomination." Puritans were opposed to the Christmas pie, on account of its connection with Catholicism
Although the modern recipe is no longer the same list of 13 ingredients once used (representative of Christ and his 12 Apostles according to author Margaret Baker), and lacks the religious meaning contained therein, the mince pie remains a popular Christmas treat.
Mincemeat pie was brought to New England by English settlers in the 17th century. While it was originally a Christmas pie, as in Britain, the Puritans did not celebrate Christmas, causing the pie's associations in the region to shift toward the American holiday of Thanksgiving. The ingredients for New England mincemeat pie are similar to the British one, with a mixture of apples, raisins, spices, and minced beef serving as the filling. Later recipes sometimes omit the beef, though "None Such" (now owned by The J.M. Smucker Company), the major brand of condensed American mincemeat, still contains beef. New England mincemeat pies are usually full-sized pies, as opposed to the individual-sized pies now common in Britain.
17. Mistletoe
Mistletoe is a plant that grows on willow and apple trees. The tradition of hanging it in the house goes back to the times of the ancient Druids. It is supposed to possess mystical powers which bring good luck to the household and wards off evil spirits. It was also used as a sign of love and friendship in Norse mythology.
When the first Christians came to Western Europe, some tried to ban the use of Mistletoe as a decoration in Churches, but many still continued to use it! York Minster Church in the UK used to hold a special Mistletoe Service in the winter, where wrong doers in the city of York could come and be pardoned.
Mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration, though such use was rarely alluded to until the 18th century. According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas. It may remain hanging throughout the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it is replaced the following Christmas Eve.
The name mistletoe comes from two Anglo Saxon words 'Mistel' (which means dung) and 'tan' (which means) twig or stick. Mistletoe was also hung on the old English decoration the Kissing Bough.
The best-known mistletoe tradition is the kissing one – hanging mistletoe high in a room and kissing loved ones, or complete strangers, beneath it, is hugely popular Christmas custom. The original custom was that a berry was picked from the sprig of Mistletoe before the person could be kissed and when all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing!
It is a very ‘British’ traditionally only practised abroad in English-speaking countries (USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc), though becoming popular everywhere in recent decades.
Mid-winter mistletoe customs in continental Europe have traditionally included seeing mistletoe as a plant of peace and luck. In France it was often given as a Porte Bonheur - a gift for luck, particularly for the New Year, rather than at Christmas. This association with peace may have origins as ancient as the kissing custom, as the plant is associated with peace in the Norse, Greek and Roman traditions about mistletoe. The peace association was a tradition in Britain too at one time, though it has become eclipsed by the kissing custom feature.
During the First World War embroidered ‘silk’ postcards sent from the Front at Christmas often depicted mistletoe, perhaps emphasising mistletoe’s value both as a symbol of peace and as a message for loved ones.
In Britain, mistletoe is the only native plant with white berries and the Mistle Thrush is named after mistletoe, as this is the bird’s favourite food.
Tenbury Wells, a town fairly local to where we live, is the centre of the holly and mistletoe trade in England, holding auctions of these seasonal plants in late November and early December. The plant is common in this area, as it grows widely on apple trees which are prevalent in the orchards of the Midlands.
Winston Graham reports a Cornish tradition that mistletoe was originally a fine tree from which the wood of the Cross was made, but afterwards it was condemned to live on only as a parasite.