Christmas coming, geese fattening...
... elderly beggars seeking pre-decimalisation pence.
Personally, all I want for Christmas is Harry Lloyd or a reasonable facsimile thereof. But in the Spirit of Giving, it's none too soon to begin considering other forms of mince than my preferences. Once again, then, I give you the family luxury mince recipe. You may as well begin getting ready, after all.
For six pounds of mincemeat:
1 lb peeled, cored, and minced apples: desserts or cookers. A West Country mix of Corsley Pippins and Profits would do nicely. Pitmaston Pines are lovely. If you take sweets exclusively, one crab in the lot would do you no harm at all.
2 oranges, grated rind and juice. You might add a Clementine as well.
2 lemons, grated rind and juice.
4 oz cut mixed peel (various citrus)
12 oz seedless raisins
8 oz sultanas
8 oz currants
4 oz chopped mixed dried fruit: dried apricots, dried pears, and dried plums (the dreaded prune)
8 oz shredded suet (and this is precisely where I lose the Americans)
12 oz soft brown (moist) sugar
4 oz chopped mixed nuts: the usual almonds-and-pecan-nuts - oddly American, that - are dull. Walnuts and hazelnuts work well.
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 oz chopped crystallised ginger
1 tablespoon mixed spice: make your own, with allspice, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg all ground in roughly equal measure, to taste
5 fl oz brandy: and make it the good stuff. Armagnac or cognac, five-star. Separate the brandy into two equal measures.
Dashes of Madeira, port, and sherry
Reserving half the brandy, mix the ingredients well in a large ovenproof bowl and leave to stand overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 110 °C / 225 °F / Gas 1/4, cover the bowl with aluminium foil and place in the oven for about 3 hours.
Allow to cool, then mix in the rest of the brandy and put into jars that have been sterilised. Store and let stand for at least a fortnight; a month is better.
Personally, all I want for Christmas is Harry Lloyd or a reasonable facsimile thereof. But in the Spirit of Giving, it's none too soon to begin considering other forms of mince than my preferences. Once again, then, I give you the family luxury mince recipe. You may as well begin getting ready, after all.
For six pounds of mincemeat:
1 lb peeled, cored, and minced apples: desserts or cookers. A West Country mix of Corsley Pippins and Profits would do nicely. Pitmaston Pines are lovely. If you take sweets exclusively, one crab in the lot would do you no harm at all.
2 oranges, grated rind and juice. You might add a Clementine as well.
2 lemons, grated rind and juice.
4 oz cut mixed peel (various citrus)
12 oz seedless raisins
8 oz sultanas
8 oz currants
4 oz chopped mixed dried fruit: dried apricots, dried pears, and dried plums (the dreaded prune)
8 oz shredded suet (and this is precisely where I lose the Americans)
12 oz soft brown (moist) sugar
4 oz chopped mixed nuts: the usual almonds-and-pecan-nuts - oddly American, that - are dull. Walnuts and hazelnuts work well.
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 oz chopped crystallised ginger
1 tablespoon mixed spice: make your own, with allspice, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg all ground in roughly equal measure, to taste
5 fl oz brandy: and make it the good stuff. Armagnac or cognac, five-star. Separate the brandy into two equal measures.
Dashes of Madeira, port, and sherry
Reserving half the brandy, mix the ingredients well in a large ovenproof bowl and leave to stand overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 110 °C / 225 °F / Gas 1/4, cover the bowl with aluminium foil and place in the oven for about 3 hours.
Allow to cool, then mix in the rest of the brandy and put into jars that have been sterilised. Store and let stand for at least a fortnight; a month is better.